On June 26th, Unilever visited Rome Business School for a company presentation dedicated to one of the world’s best-known consumer goods groups. It was led by Olga Ragucci, People Lead for Unilever’s Health & Wellbeing division, together with Elvira Venzi, HR People Partner at Equilibra. Together, they guided students through the company’s brand strategy, its recent rebranding of Calvé, and the concrete path to a career inside the organisation.
Both speakers draw on years of first-hand experience inside one of the largest FMCG companies in the world. Their talk offered a rare, practical look at how purpose, branding, and people strategy come together inside a multinational. It also showed what it really takes to build a career there.
Unilever counts more than 400 brands, reaching 3.7 billion people daily across over 190 countries. In Italy, where the head office is based in Rome alongside the Equilibra unit in Casalpusterlengo, everything the company does is anchored to a single purpose: “brighten everyday life for all.” This vision is the spark behind every decision, from product development to communication, and explains why household names like Cif, Coccolino, or Svelto are already present in most homes. It is an environment built for long-term professional growth, as demonstrated by the career of Paolo Armato (General Manager Foods Italy), who joined the company 21 years ago as a recent graduate—proving that a first job here can turn into a full career within their “food lovers & growth hunters” Foods division (which includes Calvé, Knorr, Maizena, and Pfanni).
A concrete example of this purpose-driven strategy in action was the recent rebranding of Calvé. Following extensive consumer research showing that the brand’s visual identity felt too traditional and its packaging appeal was declining, Unilever set out three clear strategic objectives: convey modernity, enhance iconicity, and give prominence to taste. The resulting design features:
This corporate transformation was successfully brought to market through an integrated social media campaign and the experiential “Icons Taste” event held in Milan, perfectly demonstrating how consumer insights translate into modern brand evolution.
Elvira Venzi reminded students that Unilever’s core functions—from go-to-market to supply chain, finance, communications, HR, and legal—all rely on the same principle: people are not simply a resource for the business; people are Unilever itself.
Candidates can explore opportunities directly on the Unilever careers page. Completing a profile places candidates into a talent pool organised by job type and location, allowing recruiters to draw from it even before a specific position opens.
For junior profiles, the process unfolds in five distinct steps:
The session also offered highly practical guidance on CV writing best practices:
Common Mistakes to Avoid:
Interview Preparation:
Candidates must study the company’s history and mission in advance. Interviews typically move through three stages:
Beyond the selection process, Unilever shared an overview of its employee benefits, which include hybrid working models, a company canteen, a company store, wellbeing services, and continuous e-learning programmes.
Are you an aspiring marketer, a young graduate, or a professional aiming to build a career within a global FMCG leader like Unilever? Rome Business School can help you develop the branding, communication, and people management skills that companies like this value most.
Contact our Admissions Team to discover the programme that best fits your career goals and take the next step towards your professional growth.
