About

Newman Debs is the legal director at Unilever, the global consumer goods company, where he leads 10 lawyers and specialists in critical areas including competition, litigation, labour, commercial, marketing support and supply chains. Debs has overseen the extensive reorganisation of the Unilever legal department in Brazil, altering the roles of in-house counsel and external partners. The in-house department now operate in a more strategic manner, in what Debs says is ‘taking advantage of the proximity with the business’ and delivering a ‘consistent approach and a more holistic view’. Operational work is now outsourced to external parties enabling a heightened degree of productivity on all fronts. Debs and his legal division have additionally implemented an increased use of technology in order to enable the team be more agile, expediting their work flow. In terms of compliance, which is described as “Business Integrity” within the Unilever business, Debs successfully oversaw its integration into the legal department alongside a systematic measurement program of KPIs, both of which serve to push towards the fulfilment of Unilever sustainability mission. Debs describes the most enjoyable feature of his role as being able to ‘produce change for the best, encompassing processes, controls, culture, people, all aspects of the corporate life’. Bringing legal to the forefront of the business and maintain close relationships with senior management, Debs has is in constant contact with both the Brazil and LatAm CEOs, he states ‘I’m a member of their Boards, where we discuss the major aspects of our company, projects where I feel valued and supported by them, even when tougher decisions need to be taken.’ Debs has spent over 20 years working in various divisions of Unilever, a dedication to the company that has seen him earn the trust of peers and gain the perfect position to comment on the strategic direction of the company. He is known for his ability to manage change and to react calmly in a crisis; two qualities that only the best in-house lawyers possess.