Wendy Mayall, Unilever's chief investment officer, has admitted that Unilever had detailed knowledge of the portfolio constructed for it by Merrill Lynch Investment Managers (MLIM).

The Unilever Superannuation Fund is suing MLIM, previously known as Mercury Asset Management, for £130m ($207.3m) for negligently taking too much risk when managing £1bn for it between January 1, 1997 and March 31, 1998. MLIM contests the claim.