Harvey concorporate Unilever in 1957 as a alumnus trainee after take a First Class Honours degree from the University of Cambridge and held a sort of appointments before becoming Managing Director of SPD Ltd (‘Speedy, Prompt Delivery’), its UK supply line tributary. In 1968 he was (significantly) answerable for Unilever from its inventive investment in the covering arrangement aficionado Tibbett & Britten, chase in 1970 by the acquirement of Norfolk Line (Norfolk Lijn N.V.), the North Sea ferryboat company. From 1971 he went on to hold inconstant SPD Board appointments in subsidiaries and combine accident in North America, Scandinavia, Hong Kong, Italy and Ireland. He also became a member of Unilever's UK Policy Committee. In 1982 Harvey connected The Institute of Grocery Distribution Board (and the Policy Issues Council from middle-2001). In 1983 he became Chairman of SPD Group.