LONDON — Jean-Marc Huet, currently chief financial officer at Bristol-Myers Squibb Co., is joining Unilever as CFO.

Unilever said Wednesday that the 40-year-old Huet will take over the company’s CFO post starting January 1.

Current CFO Jim Lawrence, 57, announced last week that he plans to leave Unilever by the end of the year.

Huet has held the CFO position at Bristol-Myers since March 2008, according to Unilever. Before joining the pharmaceutical company, he served as CFO at Royal Numico NV and was executive director of investment banking services at Goldman Sachs International.

Unilever said Huet will be proposed for election to the boards of Unilever NV and PLC at the company’s annual general meetings in May.

"We are delighted to have attracted a candidate of Jean-Marc’s talent and experience," Unilever chief executive officer Paul Polman said in a statement. "He joins Unilever at an exciting time. His background and expertise will be important in helping us realize the growth ambitions we have for the future."

Huet commented, "I’m delighted to be joining Unilever. Paul Polman has set an ambitious vision for the company, and I’m looking forward enormously to the challenge."

Bristol-Myers Squibb on Monday had announced that Huet would be leaving the company and that it appointed Charles Bancroft as acting CFO.