Keurig Dr Pepper announces its CEO succession plan; while Beam Suntory creates a new role focused on digital transformation.
Keurig Dr Pepper announces its CEO succession plan; while Beam Suntory creates a new role focused on digital transformation.
Keurig Dr Pepper has appointed Tim Cofer as Chief Operating Officer: with a planned transition to CEO in 2024.
Cofer, who will join KDP on Nov. 6, 2023, will work side by side with chairman and CEO Bob Gamgort while in a COO capacity, with a planned transition to CEO in the second quarter of 2024. Gamgort will serve as Executive Chairman of KDP after the transition occurs.
Cofer is a seasoned consumer packaged goods executive, with more than 30 years of multinational experience and a strong track record of driving growth, leading transformations and creating shareholder value. He currently serves as CEO of Central Garden & Pet Company, where he has overseen a multi-year period of double-digit revenue and profit growth and a series of strategic acquisitions.
Prior to joining Central in 2019, Cofer spent more than 25 years with Mondelēz International and its predecessor company, Kraft Foods, with responsibility across a wide range of product categories, including coffee, chocolate and packaged food.
In his last position as EVP and Chief Growth Officer, he was a critical architect behind the company's successful growth strategy.
He previously led several global regions, including as President of Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa Mondelēz International and President of Kraft Foods Europe. In his U.S.-focused roles of President of Kraft Pizza Company and President of Oscar Mayer Foods, he oversaw manufacturing and distribution operations, including a nationwide direct store delivery network. He also led the global integration of Kraft and Cadbury, delivering on the merger's strategic and financial objectives while nurturing a combined high-performing culture.
"I'm passionate about leading great companies, building iconic brands and developing exceptional people and teams, which, when combined, generate significant shareholder value," stated Cofer. "KDP is uniquely positioned as a pure-play beverage company with powerful brand equities in attractive categories, shepherded by an incredible team. I'm honored and excited to add to its legacy."
Keurig Dr Pepper (KDP) has annual revenue of more than $14bn and approximately 28,000 employees, with a portfolio of more than 125 owned, licensed and partner brands including Keurig, Dr Pepper, Canada Dry, Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, Snapple and The Original Donut Shop.
Premium spirit company Beam Suntory has appointed Hernán Tabah as SVP and Chief Digital & Technology Officer.
In this newly created executive role, Tabah will be responsible for accelerating Beam Suntory’s enterprise digital, data and end-to-end technology strategy. He will report to the President & CEO of Beam Suntory and will serve on the company’s Executive Leadership Team.
Drawing on nearly 25 years’ experience, Tabah will head up Beam Suntory’s IT, digital strategy, delivery and experience teams.
Tabah joins Beam Suntory most recently from ALTRIA, where he was Senior Vice President and Chief Digital & Technology Officer. Prior to ALTRIA, he led in several digital and information technology roles of increasing responsibility at Mondelēz and spent more than a decade at British American Tobacco in various IT and digital marketing roles.
A native of Argentina, Tabah holds an MBA from the IAE Business School Buenos Aires and a BS in Business Administration from the Catholic University of Argentina. Tabah is an active member of organizations like the Latin Corporate Directors Association and the Hispanic Technology Executive Council (HiTEC) to help Latinx technology professionals grow, supporting a diversity and inclusion agenda. He also serves on the CDO Board of Global MMA, helping to shape the future of Digital Marketing across CPG organizations.
Diageo has appointed Sally Grimes as Chief Executive Officer, North America; and Claudia Schubert as President & Chief Operating Officer, North America; effective 1 October 2023.
North America is Diageo’s largest market and since FY19, has grown 41%, in terms of net sales on a constant basis.
With over 25 years’ experience in the food and beverage sector, Grimes is a 'proven leader in consumer goods and is well-known as a world class innovator and brand builder', notes Diageo.
She was most recently the Chief Executive Officer at Clif Bar & Company, the leading maker of organic energy bars in North America. There she successfully led the development of a 10-year strategic growth plan, designed the company's purpose, created a clear portfolio strategy, and ultimately completed the successful sale of the company to Mondelez International.
Previously, as Group President of the Prepared Foods segment of Tyson Foods, America’s largest food company, Grimes ran a $10bn, 25,000-person organisation, reporting into the Global CEO. Grimes' early career began in banking, followed by multiple positions within large consumer goods companies, from Kraft Foods to Newell Brands.
Highlights of Grimes' industry recognition include Fast Company's "Top 100 Most Creative People in Business" and Fortune’s "Most Powerful Women to Watch."
Grimes will report to Debra Crew, Chief Executive and will join the Diageo Executive Committee.
She is an experienced non-executive director, having worked on a number of boards, including on the board of Beyond Meat, Inc., Continental Grain Company and Silver Oak Winery.
Claudia Schubert is appointed to President & Chief Operating Officer, North America and will report into Sally Grimes. Schubert has over 20 years of total beverage alcohol experiences and brings a proven strategic, performance and operations track record into this role.
"Over the last few years in North America, she successfully led the US Spirits business through the disruption of Covid delivering significant growth, has managed the explosive rise of our tequila business and integrated several acquisitions," notes Diageo.
"She has shaped and executed growth strategies in general management, commercial and marketing roles across North America, Europe and the Middle East and has been a Board member of Distill Ventures. She is known for her trusted relationships across the industry as well as building high-performing teams and her strong commitment to delivering Diageo’s Society 2030 goals."
The Oxford Artisan Distillery, an English Whisky producer with a focus on sustainable farming in spirits production, has appointed Charlie Echlin as Sales Director.
Echlin was one of the first employees at the Distillery and has already been building distribution for its whiskies in the UK and a growing number of export markets.
The Oxford Artisan Distillery is seeking to revolutionise farming practices in the category. It produces whisky using biodiverse populations of 'heritage' grains, cultivated exclusively for it using a technique known as Restorative Continuous Grain Cropping (R-CGC). This means the distillery doesn’t use chemicals and grows with just an understory of clover.
“This approach has a multitude of benefits: sequestering carbon; improving soil and river health; creating life-rafts for biodiversity and restoring eco-systems within arable fields,” says the distillery. “Also the fact these grains were originally bred for their flavour in the production of beer and bread for example, means they lend themselves to producing uniquely delicious whiskies.”
The Institute of Food Technologists (IFT), a nonprofit scientific organization committed to advancing the science of food and its application across the global food system, is proud to announce that Sean Leighton has officially assumed the role of Board President succeeding Christopher Downs, PhD.
Leighton is the global vice president of food safety, quality and regulatory at Cargill.
A member of IFT since 1999 where he was a participant in the IFT Student Association (IFTSA) product development competition, Leighton has served in several volunteer roles as a presenter, panelist, podcast thought leader, as well as an advisory council member of IFT’s Global Food Traceability Center.
Before joining Cargill in 2017, Leighton served as vice president of quality assurance, people safety and environmental sustainability at The Coca-Cola Company where he spent 12 years in roles of increasing responsibility. Prior to that, he worked at Land O’Lakes Incorporated.
In addition to IFT, Leighton sits on numerous advisory boards, including The Center for Food Safety (University of Georgia), The Center for Food Integrity (CFI), Partnerships for Food Safety Education, and the Food Fraud Think Tank (Michigan State University). He holds a bachelor’s degree in bacteriology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, a master’s degree in food science from the University of Minnesota, and an MBA from Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia.
Beverage can manufacturer Ball Corporation has announced that Charles E. Baker, 66, vice president, general counsel and corporate secretary, will be retiring after a 30-year career with the company.
Hannah Lim-Johnson, 51, has been named senior vice president, chief legal officer and corporate secretary, effective Sept. 18, 2023.
Baker will remain with Ball to provide counsel to support the successful completion of the proposed aerospace transaction which was disclosed last month.
Baker joined Ball in 1993 as director, business development, prior to which he was a partner at the law firm of Fraser & Beatty in Toronto, Ontario. He was Ball's associate general counsel from 1999 to 2004, when he was appointed general counsel.
Lim-Johnson most recently served as senior vice president, chief legal officer and corporate secretary at Meritor, Inc., a global supplier to the commercial vehicle and industrial markets, now a Cummins company. Before Meritor, she served as Chief Legal Officer at Kelly Services, and held senior leadership roles at PSEG, ADT Corporation and Tyco International.
Earlier in her career, Lim-Johnson worked at a law firm in New York City and served as deputy attorney general in the Civil Division in New Jersey. She currently serves as a member of the board of directors of the Minority Corporate Counsel Association.
