Rudy H.P. Markham

Former Financial Director, Unilever PLC and Unilever NV

Rudy Markham retired as the Chief Financial Officer of Unilever in 2007 after 39 years with the company. He joined the company in 1968 as a commercial management trainee and spent most of his early career in the finance function of various Unilever companies in Europe before being appointed financial director of Unilever in Zurich.

Rudy returned to Rotterdam as head of the Finance Department and became group treasurer of Unilever in 1986. From 1989 to 1998, he was based in Unilever's East Asia Pacific Region and directed operations in Australia and New Zealand, and then Japan, China, Hong Kong, South Korea and Taiwan. Rudy joined the Board of Unilever as Strategy and Technology Director and became a member of its Executive Committee in 1998. He was appointed Financial Director in 2000, reporting directly to the company's Chief Executive Officer. In May 2007, Rudy retired from Unilever's Board and in October 2007, he retired as CFO.

Rudy joined the UPS Board of Directors in 2007, and is Chairperson of the Audit Committee.

A native of Alresford, Hampshire, England, Rudy serves as Vice Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Corbion, N.V., formerly CSM, N.V.