BEIJING, July 28 -- Unilever Chief Executive Officer Patrick Cescau has told the board he will step down in May of next year, according to the Sunday Times.

    Unilever has appointed headhunter Egon Zehnder to find a replacement, who will probably come from within the company.

    Leading candidates include James Lawrence, the company?s finance director, Michael Polk, its North American head, Harish Manwani, chairman of Hindustan Unilever, and Vindi Banga, president for foods, home and personal care.

    Unilever didn?t immediately return calls to its offices in London and the Netherlands.