Schumacher defended his approach and record as CEO and said he regretted leaving Unilever earlier than anticipated.

"The step-up from CFO to CEO by Fernandez will be liked by many investors," Jefferies analyst David Hayes said of the Unilever CEO transition.

Unilever stunned investors on Tuesday by moving to replace chief executive Hein Schumacher with finance chief Fernando Fernandez, who will take on the tough task of reviving the consumer group's performance.