Alumni Feature Two | Celia Iordache – Sustainability Manager for the Beauty & Wellbeing division at Unilever

From international business management to sustainability leadership, Celia Iordache’s career journey reflects a deep commitment to making a positive impact through marketing and sustainability. After completing her master’s in Management at LSE, Celia quickly found her passion in marketing, eventually transitioning into a role that combines her interests in sustainability and consumer influence. In this interview, she shares her insights on navigating the FMCG industry and carving a unique career path. 

Q: Could you start by giving us a brief background about yourself, including your academic journey at LSE and what motivated you to choose your programme?  

A: I was born and raised in Spain and only moved to the UK as part of my undergraduate studies. I did a four-year, double degree undergrad in International Business Management that saw me study two years at ICADE University in Madrid and two years at Lancaster University. After graduating, I thought my next move would be joining a grad scheme until I stumbled upon LSE’s master’s in management (two years), which made me reconsider my next step. I thought the MiM would allow me to deepen the business knowledge I had learned during my undergrad while also giving me the opportunity to spend a term at another world-class university (Bocconi in my case) and obtain a CEMS Diploma. 

Q: What career path have you followed since graduating from LSE?  

A: After completing my master’s, I realised Marketing was the area of business I was most interested about, so I then started the search for a grad scheme in that field. It was then that I joined Costa Coffee’s Marketing grad scheme, a two-year programme comprised of three rotations across different teams within the Marketing function, which allowed me to get a rounded understanding of this business area. However, as I was coming to the end of my scheme, a position opened up to become a “Global Sustainability Brand Manager” and I knew that’s where I wanted to head next. I always had an interest in Sustainability growing up and some specific undergrad modules and volunteering opportunities cemented this interest, so I thought this role would join the best of both worlds, i.e. building sustainability into a global brand and influencing consumers to make better choices. I haven’t looked back since and have carried on my sustainability journey, now working as a Sustainability Manager for the Beauty & Wellbeing division at Unilever. 

Q: Can you tell us about your role and what aspects of your work you enjoy most?  

A: As a Sustainability Manager for the Beauty & Wellbeing division at Unilever, my main job is to translate Unilever’s global goals into B&W specific goals and unravel the implications for our brands. I specifically look after the packaging side of things which as you can imagine, it’s quite substantial at an FMCG company! Beyond the packaging remit, I’m also working on how to best integrate sustainability at the core of what our brands do and implementing the right process and governance to ensure we can all move together in the right direction. But as cliché as it sounds, the part of my work I enjoy the most is the discussions I get to have with different parts of the business as we try to “decomplexify” a very complex subject: it’s incredibly valuable knowledge. 

Q: Were there any specific strategies or approaches during your career exploration and job search that helped guide you into this field?  

A: As I finished my studies and sensed Marketing was my biggest area of interest, I channelled my efforts into finding a job that would allow me to explore and confirm whether that was the right move for it, which is why I thought a grad scheme was the right move for me as they normally offer rotations across different teams. As I transitioned into sustainability, it’s been interesting to see the difference across job search in both areas. Marketing is a fairly old discipline so standards as they refer to job scope or seniority are quite established and shared across industries whereas with sustainability being a more emerging and evolving field, there is huge disparity across job roles and expectations. I’d say my main guiding principle to date has been to answer the question “what is it that I want to learn next”: I realise there’s still a lot for me to learn and if a new job isn’t going to take me any closer to it, however shiny it may look, then it’s probably not my right move. 

Q: What advice would you give to current LSE students considering careers in the FMCG and global brand sectors? Are there specific skills or experiences you would recommend they focus on to stand out?  

A: Absolutely go for it! You have the chance to be a part of the daily lives of millions of consumers, so the impact you may have in your job is enormous. I’d say the main challenge FMCG companies are facing today relate to ongoing years of economic and political uncertainty but also lower barriers to entry in most industries, which big players may find hard to react to. Adaptability, agility and resilience are words to live by so be ready to think outside the box and put up a bit of a fight. 

What can you learn from Celia’s journey in FMCG?

Celia’s career journey showcases how a passion for marketing can evolve into a meaningful role in sustainability. Her ability to leverage opportunities, explore different business functions, and embrace change has allowed her to thrive in the FMCG sector. Her advice serves as an inspiration for students looking to build careers in marketing and sustainability within global brands. 

Why should you explore the FMCG sector?

The fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) industry is dynamic and diverse, offering a wealth of career opportunities and a huge range of roles. Employers are some of the biggest brand names around the world, with products used and seen by consumers every single day – from the supermarket to the pharmacy. With significant growth forecast in the FMCG sector in 2025, it could be an ideal time to start considering a career in the area.

For additional careers support, you can:

Book a one-to-one careers appointment
Visit our FMCG employment sector webpage
Browse and book all events on CareerHub