Mondelēz International announced the appointment of Volker Kuhn as Executive Vice President and President, Europe, effective April 1, 2025, reporting directly to Chair and Chief Executive Officer Dirk Van de Put. Kuhn will replace Vinzenz Gruber, who has announced his retirement from the company, also effective April 1, 2025. Kuhn will join the organization on January 6, 2025, partnering with Gruber to ensure a smooth transition.
Kuhn joins Mondelēz from Reckitt’s hygiene business, its largest global unit, where he delivered top- and bottom-line performance acceleration driven by innovation, consumer centricity, and category growth. Earlier, he served as Reckitt’s Chief Transformation Officer.
Before Reckitt, Kuhn spent 26 years with Procter & Gamble, leading several critical growth accelerations, turnarounds, and business transformations across Europe, North America, the Middle East, and Africa. Among many accomplishments, he led the successful carve-out and divestiture of Duracell from P&G to Berkshire Hathaway. His experience spans multiple consumer products categories, including 10 years leading the Pringles Snacks division in Europe, as well as expertise across disciplines including finance, brand marketing, business development, and general management, noted a press release.
“We’re delighted to welcome Volker Kuhn to our Mondelēz International family,” said Van de Put. “His breadth and depth of international consumer packaged goods experience, coupled with his track record of impressive results and leadership impact, position him well to accelerate growth in our European region while continuing to strengthen consumer loyalty to our iconic brands.”
Kuhn serves as Chairman and a Non-Executive Board member of FROSTA AG, a leading European frozen food company. He is fluent in German, English, and French. He earned a master’s degree in economics and finance from the University of Fribourg, and he holds dual German and Swiss citizenship.
“On behalf of Team Mondelēz, and especially our European colleagues, I’d like to thank Vince for his strong leadership and passionate dedication in driving commercial and operational excellence, consumer loyalty, and employee development,” Van de Put added. “With Vince at the helm, we have advanced core brands including Cadbury, Milka, and Oreo across Europe, while expanding into exciting adjacencies such as snack bars, cakes, and pastries—setting up the business for continued growth and success. We wish him the very best in retirement.”
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