General Mills updates leadership | Pet Food Processing

MINNEAPOLIS — General Mills, Inc. is making several changes to its senior leadership team, including the naming of new leaders for its North America Retail, Pet and International, and US Morning Foods units, effective Jan. 1, 2024.

Dana McNabb has been promoted to president of North America Retail, General Mills’ largest and most profitable segment, according to the company. McNabb most recently was chief strategy and growth officer since August 2021. Earlier, she was group president of Europe and Australia. She also spent more than four years as president of the company’s North America Retail Cereal and Snacks operating units.

Jonathon J. Nudi, formerly president of North America Retail, has been named president of Pet and International. Nudi has been with General Mills for more than 30 years. Other roles he’s held at the company include president of Europe and Australasia, president of Snacks and various marketing and sales roles.

Ricardo Fernandez, newly promoted to president of International, will report to Nudi. Fernandez most recently was president of US Morning Foods since January 2020. He earlier was president of the Latin America region. He also has worked as global vice president of marketing at Cereal Partners Worldwide (a joint venture between General Mills and Nestle) as well as vice president of marketing for the frozen division, managing director for Brazil, and marketing director for Latin America and South Africa.

Succeeding Fernadez as president of US Morning Foods will be Bethany Quam. Quam has been president of Pet since 2019. Earlier, she held a variety of sales and finance positions at General Mills.

General Mills said Kofi Bruce, chief financial officer, will oversee the company’s strategy and growth efforts on an interim basis while a search is conducted for a new chief strategy and growth officer. In addition, Sean Walker, currently president of International, will retire on Feb. 28, 2024.

“We are making these strategic changes to best position General Mills for today’s dynamic landscape,” said Jeffrey L. Harmening, chairman and chief executive officer, General Mills. “These moves enable us to best match our deep bench of senior talent to fast-growing and important consumer areas and occasions. I am confident this will help us advance our next chapter in our accelerate enterprise strategy.” 

Read more about personnel changes throughout the industry.