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

The surprise exit comes less than two years after Schumacher took on the top role at the consumer-goods giant.

Unilever has announced Hein Schumacher will step down as CEO within days, just 18 months after he joined the consumer goods giant from FrieslandCampina. In a statement to the London Stock Exchange today (25 February),