Unilever Chief Executive Officer Paul Polman, who has built his reputation on a softer approach to capitalism, showed he can get feisty, too.
His combative side was on display at an investor meeting Thursday in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, where the Dutchman found himself confronted with tough questions on the balance of cost savings, margin improvement and sales growth. Polman shot back, defending his approach and raising his voice in the process, according to a recording of the event.
Polman said analysts were “pissing away” the possibility of higher shareholder returns by suggesting Unilever could spend more on growing its earnings through rising sales rather than through cutting costs.
