Paul Matthews 

Head of Communications    
Unilever
UK

A longtime leader in purpose-driven marketing, Unilever has also been a pioneer in the sustainability arena, introducing its Unilever Sustainable Living Plan in 2010 and its Unilever Compass for Sustainable Growth a decade later. Over that time, the communications function has taken on a central role in managing and meeting stakeholder expectations, and Paul Matthews—who took over as head of communications from Sue Garrard in 2018—is now responsible for leading those efforts.

Matthews, who began his career in local newspapers, spent time as a reporter for the Daily Mail, and worked on the agency side with lifestyle firm Brighter Group, has been with Unilever for 16 years, starting out as media relations manager, leading communications for the finance and legal functions, handling issues management and external affairs, and digital channels before taking on his current role.

In addition to leading the company’s communications function through the Covid pandemic, Matthews has also been responsible for reframing Unilever commitment to purpose to make sure it is integrated with other important business drivers such as innovation and product quality.

Can you share a moment in your career when you saw PR's direct impact on business performance?
Dove’s Campaign for Real Beauty is much more than PR, but a consistently high-quality PR approach as part of the campaign has been critical to its long-term success.

What are the communications industry's biggest challenges and opportunities in the year ahead?
AI represents both an enormous opportunity and challenge. The opportunity is to be even more impactful and effective in how we work, and to play a critical role in helping to guide organisations through the enormous change it brings. The challenge will be doing this well, responsibly, and keeping up with the enormous pace that AI is transforming the landscape.

What have you most admired about the communications industry over the past year, and what has disappointed you?
I’ve most admired the excellent campaigning work drawing attention to the scandal of river and sea water quality in the UK. I’ll keep my disappointments to myself!

What work from your team are you most proud of over the past year?
Over the last year, Unilever has undergone considerable change to ensure we realise our full potential as a business. The significant integrated communications work to support this has been a particular point of pride. It’s been a collective effort across the global team.

How have you switched off from work and maintained wellness over the past year?
Messing around with my kids, fly/sea fishing, and supporting Southampton FC’s nail-biting promotion back to the Premier League.

Which book/movie/TV show/podcast/playlist/other cultural source has helped you get through the past year or provided inspiration?
David Grann’s ‘The Wager’ for a compelling story of human endurance, alongside Paul Murray’s ‘The Bee Sting’ for an entertaining reminder – if one was needed – of the foibles of the human condition.

If I wasn't working in marketing/communications, I would be...
I don’t know for sure, but most likely something in conflict resolution. Otherwise, an architect with platinum-grade indemnity insurance!