Durk I. Jager, Former P&G CEO, Dies at Age 78

A Procter & Gamble CEO amid the turbulent transition between the 20th and 21st centuries.

Durk I. Jager was P&G’s first CEO born outside of North America. During his thirty year career with P&G there were highs and lows at different times.

Durk I. Jager was a native of Haskerland, Netherlands. He joined P&G in Holland as Brand Assistant in 1970, after graduating from the Erasmus University Rotterdam. He later led P&G business in Japan and Asia in the 80s and 90s. P&G’s business in Japan in just 6 years grew from 7 brands to 25 national or testing market products.

Durk Jager was named P&G’s Chief Operating Officer in 1995. He was appointed to be the CEO of P&G in 1999.

During the turbulent transition time from 20th century to 21st century, P&G had slower growth and missed revenue targets. Due to its large corporate structure P&G lost market share to more flexible competitors, such as Colgate-Palmolive. P&G promoted Durk, who at the time already served the company for 29 years, to be the new CEO hoping he could revitalize the company.

At 56 years of age Durk took office as P&G’s new CEO with an ambition to restructure the company. However, just 17 months later he abruptly quit, becoming the shortest term P&G CEO.  

At the beginning Durk proposed big scale changes, and initiated an ambitious six year restructuring effort “Organization 2005”, which intended to boost sales and profits by introduction of new products, closing of plants, as well as eliminating jobs. However under Durk’s tenure P&G’s profits largely declined.

Durk’s effort was described as “the change was too much, too fast.” The company's growth initiatives took a toll on financial performance. The company failed to deliver good earnings growth that the business is known for. Durk said that he was proud of the vision he set out to achieve with Organization 2005, and the company made important progress. Unfortunately, the attempts to step up top-line sales growth resulted in earnings disappointments.

P&G had disappointing quarters and stock price fell to less than half of what it was. With all the pressure, after 17 months Durk Jager resigned and P&G’s board named Alan Lafley to succeed him.

P&G official website wrote in Durk’s memoriam: “Durk once said ‘thinking globally will make us better professionally, but if we learn to understand and appreciate other people’s cultures, their thoughts, it will make each of us better, richer people.’ Remembering our former CEO for his entrepreneurial spirit and courageous leadership during a time of unrelenting change.”.