On the heels of what it saw as a strong report for its second quarter of fiscal year 2017, Mondelēz International also announced that current President and CEO of McCain Foods Dirk Van de Put will succeed longtime CEO Irene Rosenfeld, who will retire this November.
"I am very proud of what our 90,000 colleagues at Mondelēz International have accomplished," said Chairman and CEO Irene Rosenfeld. "Throughout my tenure as CEO, the world and our industry have undergone a period of unprecedented change. During that time, we anticipated emerging challenges, adapted accordingly, and created significant value for our shareholders. The outlook is bright for this great company—one of the few that has consistently delivered on both the top and bottom lines, while making critical investments for future growth."
Van de Put was elected unanimously by the company’s Board of Directors, according to a press release, bringing nearly 30 years of experience in the food and consumer package industry.
"The Board and I are confident that Dirk Van de Put is the right leader to take us forward. He is a seasoned global CEO, having lived and worked on three different continents, with deep experience and expertise in all critical business and commercial operations in both emerging and developed markets. Throughout his career, Dirk has had a proven track record of driving top-line and category growth, while at the same time improving cost structures and profitability. And he has achieved these results with a values-based leadership style and steadfast focus on people," said Rosenfeld.
Along with his six year-long tenure leading McCain Foods, where he has grown net sales by more than 50 percent, generating more than 75 percent of that growth organically, with EBITDA growing double digits each of the last six years, Van de Put also held executive positions with:
Mark Ketchum, Lead Independent Director of Mondelēz International, welcomed Van de Put warmly on behalf of the Board, expressing excitement for his leadership into Mondelēz’s next chapter of growth.
On Rosenfeld’s leadership, he said, “We also want to thank Irene for the vision and leadership she brought to building this great company. Over the past decade, she changed the face, footprint, and growth prospects of Kraft Foods and then created Mondelēz International, by reinvigorating the company's iconic brands, transforming the portfolio, strengthening the company's presence in emerging markets and aggressively improving margins. Under her stewardship, Mondelēz International has become the leading global snacking company, delivering tremendous value to shareholders. We are extremely grateful for her leadership and for agreeing to stay on as Chairman through the first quarter of next year, to ensure a smooth and seamless transition."
Rosenfeld will step down as CEO in November, but continue as Chairman of the Board until March 31, 2018. After that she will retire fully, and Van de Put will assume the role of both Chairman and CEO.
Congratulations to both on this exciting horizon in their long and successful careers.
