Former director of CNRS to head R&D at Unilever

Geneviève Berger

In her new role Berger will be the functional leader for research and development in Unilever and will directly lead all the resources and major laboratories dedicated to the company’s focus on scientific discovery. She will be responsible for Unilever’s Safety and Environmental Assurance Centre (SEAC) as well as advising the executive on all matters of science and technology.

Berger said, “During my time as a non-executive director I have been hugely impressed by Unilever’s commitment to science and to R&D in particular.” She will take up her new position at the beginning of July and at the same time will leave her current position at Pierre and Marie Curie University.

Berger’s career includes serving as the director of the Biotech and Agri-Food Department at the French Ministry for Education, Research and Technology (1998-2000) and Head of the Technology Directorate at the French Ministry of Research in 2000. Between 2000 and 2003, she was Director General of the CNRS (Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique), one of the world’s largest research organisation with some 26,000 employees.

Berger is currently a member of the Technical Program Committee of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers on ultrasonics, ferroelectrics and frequency control and the Chairman of the Advisory Group - Health for the European Commission.