The heads of Diageo and Unilever, which have large work forces in Fairfield County, reportedly have threatened to move their London headquarters offices elsewhere if the British government does not lower taxes.
Liquor vendor Diageo has its North American main office in Norwalk, where it employed more than 700 people at last report. In the first half of its fiscal year ending Dec. 31, Diageo increased overall revenue 3 percent to $8.2 billion, though net sales in North America were down 3 percent.
Personal products seller Unilever has a large research installation in Trumbull that at the peak of the last business cycle had more than 1,500 workers.
In a television interview, Diageo CEO Paul Walsh warned that his company might leave the United Kingdom for a better business environment, according to The Guardian, which reported Switzerland is one country rumored to be interested in luring Diageo.
“If the U.K., either from a corporate perspective or a personal tax perspective, becomes uncompetitive, we will be forced to look at alternatives,” Walsh said, as quoted by The Guardian. “We are a global business, we operate in 180 countries around the world. Our location here in London should not be taken for granted.”
Earlier, Unilever CEO Paul Polman had made similar comments.
“We do have choices where we put research laboratories, choices for manufacturing facilities and choices where we put our senior management,” Polman said.
