UPDATE 1-Sara Lee's names Smits CFO

* Marcel Smits starts Oct. 1

* Had been CFO at Dutch telecom leader

* Also had worked at Unilever

CHICAGO, Sept 22 (Reuters) - Sara Lee Corp SLE.N named Marcel Smits chief financial officer on Tuesday, completing a nine-month search to fill the top finance job.

Smits, 48, who had been chief financial officer of Dutch telecommunications leader Koninklijke KPN NV (KPN.AS), is scheduled to begin at Sara Lee on Oct 1.

He replaces Theo de Kool, whose retirement from the deli meat and baked goods maker was announced in December.

Smits also has a food and personal care products background, having worked for 13 years at Unilever Plc (ULVR.L) earlier in his career.

Sara Lee shares were up 1 cent at $10.62 at midday on the New York Stock Exchange. (Reporting by Brad Dorfman; editing by Andre Grenon)