If Minister of Economy Henk Kamp has anything to say about it, Unilever will become an fully Dutch company soon. He made the statement after the revelation that Unilever wants to get rid of its double British-Dutch nationality.
Ever since it was founded in 1930, when MargarineUnie and British Lever Brothers merged, Unilever has had main offices in the United Kingdom and the Netherlands. However, the company is now planning to change its legal structure, because it is also a hindrance to structural changes.
In a BNR interview, Kamp said he hopes Unilever will become a completely Dutch company and says there have already been talks with CEO Paul Polman. “Our Prime Minister is also talking to him and it could very well become a fully British company or a fully Dutch company”, Kamp said.
He believes the Dutch inclusion in the European Union is the country’s biggest benefit over the United Kingdom. However, if it did decide to become a British company, the lower pound may also prove beneficial.
The British will undoubtedly do everything to convince Unilever to remain in the country. Prime Minister Theresa May will suffer a major blow if the company left immediately after she triggered Article 50 to leave the European Union.
