Tabaksblat joined Unilever in 1964. During the first twenty years of his career at Unilever he had positions in marketing and sales in the Netherlands, Spain and Brazil. In 1984, he joined the boards of Unilever NV and Unilever PLC. He was responsible for marketing and the product group 'personal products'. Later he worked in New York City as regional director for North America. In 1994, he became chairman of the board of directors.
Later career
In 1999 Tabaksbat left Unilever and became chairman of Reed Elsevier, a position he held until 2005.
Tabaksbat was also chairman of the War Trauma Foundation in Amstelveen and chairman of the councils of the university of Leiden and the Leiden University Medical Centre.