Latest news with #DavidStever
Fast Company
06-05-2025
- Business
- Fast Company
Why selling your business isn't the only path to success
Prioritizing growth to sell is a perfectly reasonable business strategy. Being acquired by a larger group at some point (like Poppi's recent sale to PepsiCo) makes sense for many—to generate cash flow for expansion, take a shortcut to economies of scale or market penetration, or just cash in for early retirement. But not for me. Early on in my business journey at Bulletproof, we considered a buyout from a renowned global comms agency. But when they starting asking for growth projections and questioning whether we could achieve them, we walked away. We went on to smash those projections within three years—that's when I truly started to realize we would be better off independent. Really, who would want to report to someone who doesn't believe in your vision? Putting independence first Growing a good business is about relevance, internal culture, and excellence—qualities that risk dilution under a larger group. You can so easily lose your way and what you stand for—just look at the recent headlines around Ben and Jerry's, with original CEO, David Stever, ousted for the political activism that was always at the heart of the original business. Also, as you relinquish control, you invariably compromise on how you pursue innovation or map the future. It's why I've always put independence first. But if you don't want to bank on acquisition in your strategy for scale, how can you nurture expansion, while retaining your independent spirit? In fact, independence and global success go together quite nicely, you just need to embrace the right mindset. Always striving for relevance Different leaders will always have different qualities, but independence, to me, is about embracing a certain restlessness. A business shouldn't just be about creating great work, but about being at the cutting edge of culture—about being relevant. For that, you need to be constantly moving, searching, never settling. We could be a perfectly good business of 50 people in London, sticking to a clearly defined niche—very well-off but ultimately very bored. Or we can be the business that doesn't settle, one that embraces new technology, new opportunity and innovation without having to deal with interminable layers of approval. It's a choice you need to actively make and embrace. Embracing imperfection To do so, though, you need to allow yourself to make mistakes. In fact, being able to make mistakes, without being dragged over the coals for every misstep, is one of the biggest luxuries of independence. We've made many mistakes at Bulletproof. For example, we messed up when we thought we could crack New York without having people on the ground and soon learned that it wouldn't work. From a personal point of view, I made the mistake of thinking I could do it all—run the business and be the creative head. For a long time, I didn't accept that there were people better suited to running parts of the business. It's a mistake I wish I'd made a lot earlier. You don't grow a business, you grow people. So being independent is about embracing that imperfection and learning from those gaffes along the way. If you don't, you never progress. It goes hand-in-hand with persistence. As a business founder or leader, you take things personally, so you're protective over the business and its people. But you have to learn from mistakes and move on quickly. The right approach to scale Pursuing scale as a marker of success has its place. But progress means that you must grow for the right reasons—and without compromising quality. For us, scale is about growing talent and capabilities to complement our strengths. It's never about scale for the sake of it. For example, we dismissed the idea of franchising our name for global expansion, even though we received a few approaches. Maintaining control over quality was far more important than spreading our name in this way. A better way to think about scale is that it's all about the right talent. Hard work, determination, nurturing, kind individuals who attract the right work and embody your values. If you get this right, you can scale. Articulate your vision To ensure that quality, you also need conviction—and vision. People can help you with every other aspect of running a business, but the vision needs to come from the top. It needs to be both externally and internally facing. That way you will always have a road map of what you want to achieve and why, and you'll always know how to take your team on that journey, At Bulletproof, our vision is to challenge the creative agency networks through doing the most compelling, commercially creative work on the planet. To prove there is a different way of doing things. Keep your fighting spirit But underpinning it all needs to be a fighting spirit. Things start to fall apart when you think you've 'made it'' Don't forget the early days, which invariably are hard. I didn't come from a lot, for example. You should always nurture the mindset to spot the opportunities when they present themselves. Diageo is now one of our largest clients, but it all started with a $20,000 brief for a cocktail in a can. Sometimes businesses reach a certain size and only go for the million-dollar briefs—but that's not how you grow, especially not as an independent business. You can see this fight, this alertness to opportunity, in many of the world's most respected entrepreneurs. These leaders always look to evolve their enterprises, both into new markets and within their business practices, and their fight and drive keeps them relevant. Nike's Phil Knight is a great example. His book Shoe Dog is a personal favorite. In it, he speaks so honestly about what they went through, and the hustle of the early days. It's what makes running a fiercely independent business so rewarding. With it will come the growth that is truly rewarding—and the freedom to say no when a buyer comes knocking.
The National
28-04-2025
- Business
- The National
Unilever urges dismissal of Ben & Jerry's Gaza censorship lawsuit
Unilever, the parent company of Ben & Jerry's ice cream, is calling for the dismissal of a lawsuit in which it is accused of sacking chief executive David Stever partly due to his views on Gaza and Palestine. The independent board of Ben & Jerry's updated a lawsuit last month, alleging Unilever had removed Mr Stever in part because of his social advocacy for various causes, including the Israel-Gaza war and Palestinian rights. The company says a contractual agreement with Ben & Jerry's does not guarantee 'the unfettered right to advocate on any topic it wants on behalf of Ben & Jerry's … embroil B & J and Unilever in highly controversial and divisive topics that put the businesses and their employees at risk'. It also alleges that because of actions taken by the ice cream brand's independent board in recent years, a 'fatwa' was issued against Unilever. This is a reference to a sharp decline in sales in Indonesia after the country's Ulema Council issued a religious edict in 2023 that called for the support of Palestine and prohibited any activity of support for Israel – which Unilever was accused of doing. The dismissal request, filed late on Friday, takes direct aim at Anuradha Mittal, chairwoman of Ben & Jerry's independent board of directors. 'Rather than consulting with Unilever about David Stever's future (which the Class I Directors declined to do for several weeks), Mittal went to the press with statements that Unilever had fired Stever even though she knew that to be false,' read Unilever's filing. 'In sum, it is clear that this lawsuit was just a vehicle for Mittal to go to the press with a false narrative to further her own agenda and denigrate Unilever, not to assert legitimate claims.' Unilever says Mr Stever voluntarily resigned, nullifying the accusations made by the independent board. 'I will be putting down my scoop and moving on to new adventures,' reads an email from Mr Stever, an exhibit in Unilever's request for the lawsuit's dismissal. 'I will continue to be a fan and as the 'newester' member of the ice cream for life club, I will be sure to be on high alert for the latest flavour creations and creative names that will make everyone smile. Peace, love and ice cream.' The relationship between Ben & Jerry's and Unilever has long been fraught. In 2022, Ben & Jerry's sued Unilever in an attempt to halt the sale of its Israeli business to a local franchisee – an agreement that would allow the ice cream to be sold in the occupied West Bank. The ice cream company has not been shy about taking stances on issues in the Middle East. For example, it called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza last year. In its 32-page court filing, Unilever defended its approach and attempts to edit Ben & Jerry's social media output related to the war in Gaza, along with attempts from Ben & Jerry's to issue statements in the form of press releases on the conflict. 'Unilever was willing to issue a statement, but reasonably insisted on a balanced post that not only called for a ceasefire but also condemned terrorism and called for the release of hostages, which would align with the position articulated by Pope Francis,' the company said, referencing Ben & Jerry's desire to call for a ceasefire. Unilever was also accused of censoring Ben & Jerry's social media posts showing support for Palestinian student Mahmoud Khalil, who faces deportation because of his involvement in pro-Palestine protests last year. 'Like with previous posts, Unilever did not block the post but rather sought to work with the board to issue a balanced statement in support of First Amendment rights while not appearing to take sides in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict,' it said. Israel's punishing campaign in Gaza – which followed the 2023 attacks by Hamas-led fighters that resulted in the deaths of about 1,200 people and the capture of 240 hostages – has killed more than 52,300 Palestinians in Gaza and injured about 117,790. Ben & Jerry's has a track record stretching back decades of speaking out in support of social justice, environmental protection and human rights. 'We believe that our company has a responsibility to work to improve the quality of life for people in our local, national and international communities, and we're firmly opposed to war, firmly in favour of peace and human rights, justice,' Ben Cohen, who cofounded the ice cream company with Jerry Greenfield in 1978, told The National in an interview last month. 'We refer to it as a values-led business. If you're led by your values, you kind of have to use what tools you have available to live up to those values.' Last May, Unilever said it was planning to spin off its ice cream business – including Ben & Jerry's – by the end of 2025 as part of a larger restructuring. Unilever also owns personal hygiene brands like Dove soap and food brands such as Hellmann's mayonnaise. The independent board of Ben & Jerry's has until Friday to file a brief countering Unilever's motion to suspend the lawsuit. Willy Lowry contributed to this report from Washington
Yahoo
27-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Ben & Jerry's accuses parent company Unilever of forcibly removing CEO over ‘social mission'
Ice cream maker Ben & Jerry's have stated that chief executive David Stever has been forced out - by parent company Unilever. The London Stock Market-listed conglomerate, which sells and owns the brands of a huge range of items from Dove to Marmite, bought Ben & Jerry's in 2000. During that process an independent board was created two protect the values of Ben & Jerry's, which has long held an activist approach to, in their own words, help 'meet human needs and eliminate injustices in our local, national, and international communities'. Causes the company has spoken out on include the climate crisis, refugees and LGBTQ+ rights. Now, that independent board allege that Unilever are violating the merger agreement by attempting to 'silence' it, with a legal case filed in the United States claiming a decision to remove Mr Stever from his role was taken without consultation. The filing read: 'Unilever has repeatedly threatened Ben & Jerry's personnel, including CEO David Stever, should they fail to comply with Unilever's efforts to silence the Social Mission. On March 3 2025, Unilever informed the Independent board that they were removing and replacing Mr Stever as Ben & Jerry's CEO. 'Unilever... attempted to force the independent board into rubberstamping the decision," it continued, as reported by the BBC. Mr Stever was promoted from chief marketing officer to chief executive of Ben & Jerry's in mid-2023, having risen through the ranks since joining as a factory tour guide in 1988. The Financial Times reported how Ben & Jerry's previously filed a complaint over Unilever allegedly blocking calls for a ceasefire in Gaza and offering support for Palestinian refugees, a claim which Unilever rejected. 'Dave has courageously advanced the company's social mission and values,' said Anuradha Mittal, chair of the independent board. 'What Dave hasn't done is what Unilever would like him to do, which is to oversee the dismantling of Ben & Jerry's mission, progressive values and the 2000 merger agreement that has protected Ben & Jerry's position as a wholly owned autonomous subsidiary,' she added. Unilever last month announced the surprise exit of their own CEO Hein Schumacher, with CFO Fernando Fernandez replacing him. The FTSE 100 firm has also already decided to spin off the ice creams business as a whole, with a primary listing set to take place in Amsterdam. Unilever shares are flat across 2025 so far and up 15 per cent across the past year. Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
21-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Ben & Jerry's claims Unilever ousted its CEO for his progressive stance
Ben & Jerry's has accused its parent group, Unilever, of sacking the ice-cream brand's chief executive for refusing to 'oversee the dismantling' of its progressive values. David Stever – who led the company for almost two years having first joined it as a tour guide in 1988 – was 'removed' from his post earlier this month, it has was claimed in a court filing from the US-based brand. Ben & Jerry's alleged in a submission to the US district court for the southern district of New York that Unilever, the UK-based consumer group that owns brands including Marmite and Dove, wanted to stop the boss from making political statements. Related: Jury awards $50m to man injured by scalding-hot tea from Starbucks Anuradha Mittal, the chair of Ben & Jerry's independent board, said: 'Dave has courageously advanced the company's social mission and values, has continued to drive innovation in its super premium product range, and has delivered strong financial results, far outpacing the rest of Unilever's ice-cream business. 'What Dave hasn't done is what Unilever would like him to do, which is to oversee the dismantling of Ben & Jerry's mission, progressive values.' The court action is the latest episode in a testy relationship between the ice-cream brand and its parent group, which ousted its own chief executive, Hein Schumacher, last month and replaced him with its finance chief, Fernando Fernandez, to speed up a turnaround process. Last month, Ben & Jerry's accused Unilever of demanding that it stop publicly criticising Donald Trump. And in November it launched legal action against its parent, accusing the company of trying to block it from making public statements supporting Palestinian refugees in the conflict in Gaza. It claimed Unilever had breached the terms of a confidential settlement agreed in 2022 after a clash over plans to stop selling its products in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. Ben & Jerry's, which was founded by Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield in 1978, was bought by the UK-based consumer goods group in 2000. As part of the merger deal, an independent board was set up to protect the ice-cream brand's mission and strong stance on social issues. Mittal also accused Unilever of wanted to dismantle that agreement, which he said had 'protected Ben & Jerry's position as a wholly owned autonomous subsidiary, the very things that have created the company's financial success and incredible brand loyalty among its fans. 'That is why the independent board has sued Unilever and why Unilever is seeking to punish the chief executive.' The court filing said: 'Unilever has repeatedly threatened Ben & Jerry's personnel, including CEO David Stever, should they fail to comply with Unilever's efforts to silence the social mission. 'On 3 March 2025, Unilever informed the independent board that they were removing and replacing Mr Stever as Ben & Jerry's CEO.' Unilever fired back on Wednesday afternoon, seeking a dismissal of Ben & Jerry's earlier complaint. It said it supports Ben & Jerry's and its social advocacy work, but the social mission has evolved into advocacy for 'one-sided, highly controversial, and polarizing topics that put Unilever, B&J's, and their employees at risk'. Unilever's filing does not address the proposed amended complaint or Stever's job. In a statement, Unilever said the 2000 agreement governed removal decisions, and it was 'disappointed that the confidentiality of an employee career conversation has been made public'. Stever is still shown as chief executive on the Ben & Jerry's website. Ben & Jerry's and its lawyers did not immediately address requests for comment. The two parties have had a series of disputes in recent years, with particular tensions over Ben & Jerry's move to halt sales in the West Bank in 2021. Unilever blocked the attempt but was then sued by Ben & Jerry's. The latest row comes after Unilever announced plans to list its ice-cream business on the Amsterdam stock exchange. The listing will separate a division that makes five of the world's top-selling 10 ice-cream brands, including Wall's, Magnum and Ben & Jerry's. It also makes Cornetto, Viennetta, Carte d'Or and Breyers, which is big in the US.
Miami Herald
21-03-2025
- Business
- Miami Herald
Popular ice cream brand sues owner over scandalous claims
In addition to being one of the top ice cream brands worldwide with a wide assortment of delicious and creative flavors, Ben & Jerry's is also known for its progressive public stance on social matters, including human rights, the environment, and the economy. As stated on the ice cream brand's website, Ben & Jerry's leads with progressive values across its business. By applying these values to its everyday business activities, it seeks to meet human needs and eliminate injustices in all communities. Don't miss the move: SIGN UP for TheStreet's FREE Daily newsletter In 2000, Unilever, a UK-based multinational consumer goods manufacturer, acquired the Ben & Jerry's brand for $326 million. At the time, both parties claimed this deal would help expand the brand and better meet consumer demands, benefiting the two companies' businesses. Related: SHEIN sued by luxury fashion house over controversial issue However, this sweet and exciting acquisition has turned sour as the parent company and the ice cream maker seem to have very different views about how to run the business. On Mar. 18, Ben & Jerry's filed a lawsuit against its parent company, Unilever (UL) , with the U.S. District Court of the Southern District of New York, claiming that the company unlawfully fired its CEO, David Stever, for an ongoing dispute regarding the ice cream brand's social mission and brand integrity. According to the filing, Unilever violated its Merger Agreement, Settlement Agreement, and Settlement Amendment made in 2000, as it stipulates that the CEO may only be removed from their role after consulting and discussing the removal with an advisory committee of the company's board. In the lawsuit, Ben & Jerry's claims, "Unilever has repeatedly failed to recognize and respect the Independent Board's primary responsibility over Ben & Jerry's Social Mission and Brand Integrity, including threatening Ben & Jerry's personnel should the company speak out regarding issues that Unilever prefers to censor." The ice cream brand also states that the litigation has been initiated to protect its three-part mission "from Unilever's unilateral erosion and to safeguard the company from Unilever's repeated overreaches." Related: Kroger CEO resigns amid controversial investigation Stever has been with Ben & Jerry's for nearly 37 years, starting as a tour guide in 1988, later serving as CMO for 12 of those years, and ultimately rising to the role of CEO in May 2023. However, on Mar. 3 of this year, Unilever removed Stever as CEO for allegedly staying committed to Ben & Jerry's social mission and brand integrity rather than due to issues in his laboral performance. This recent lawsuit sparked from an initial lawsuit filed in November of last year, accusing Unilever of inappropriate muzzling as the parent company was allegedly censoring Ben & Jerry's from speaking out on its political stands regarding the current Israeli-Palestine conflict. In the filing, Ben & Jerry's demands a trial by jury and seeks monetary restitution for attorney's fees and costs and all other relief deemed appropriate by the court. As controversial as these claims may sound, this is not the first time Ben & Jerry's has tried suing its parent company, as they have had conflicts regarding similar issues in the past. More Retail News: Popular apparel retail chain is looking at big changes after latest announcementPopular fast food chain announces major partnership to destroy rivalsGirl Scout cookies announce unexpected new food partnership In 2022, Ben & Jerry's filed a lawsuit against Unilever for preventing it from halting ice cream sales in east Jerusalem and the Israeli-occupied West Bank since they claimed the continuing production would hurt the ice cream maker's social mission, causing harm to its reputation. Ultimately, a federal judge rejected the request. A Unilever spokesperson replied to The Street's request for comment regarding the Mar. 18 lawsuit with the following: "In line with the terms of the acquisition agreement, decisions on the appointment, compensation and removal of the Ben & Jerry's CEO will be made by Unilever after good faith consultation and discussion with the B&J's Independent Board. Regrettably, despite repeated attempts to engage the Board and follow the correct process, we are disappointed that the confidentiality of an employee career conversation has been made public. We hope that the B&J Independent Board will engage as per the original, agreed process." Ben & Jerry's didn't immediately respond to The Street's request for comment. Related: Veteran fund manager unveils eye-popping S&P 500 forecast The Arena Media Brands, LLC THESTREET is a registered trademark of TheStreet, Inc.
