HR alert (II): CEO changes and leadership reshuffles across the pet industry
General Mills, Sonae, Mars Pet Nutrition and MicroHarvest announce succession plans, an interim appointment and changes to their executive structures.
Leadership changes across the pet sector and related businesses include planned CEO handovers, an interim global appointment and the introduction of a co-CEO structure.
General Mills
US-based food manufacturer General Mills has elected its Chief Operating Officer (COO) Dana McNabb to succeed Jeff Harmening as CEO.
Harmening will become Executive Chair of the company’s Board of Directors. Both appointments will take effect on 1 January 2027.
McNabb has spent 27 years at General Mills, holding senior leadership positions across general management, corporate strategy, marketing and international operations.
In her current role as COO, she oversees the company’s 4 operating segments and key functions, including North America Retail, North America Pet, North America Foodservice, International, Sales, Supply Chain, and Innovation, Technology, and Quality.
“[Dana] has a strong track record of success, and a deep understanding of our consumers, our brands, our company and our industry,” says Maria Henry, Independent Lead Director of General Mills’ Board of Directors. “Dana is an outstanding leader with a clear strategic vision that she will translate into tangible outcomes for our shareholders, employees and the communities we serve.”
Sonae
Portuguese retail group Sonae, which owns pet specialist ZU, has proposed João Dolores as its next Chief Executive Officer (CEO) for the mandate beginning in April 2027. The current CEO, Cláudia Azevedo, has been proposed as Chairwoman of the Board.
Dolores has served as Sonae’s Chief Financial Officer (CFO) for more than 7 years. He has spent over 12 years at the group, holding several senior leadership positions.
During his tenure, he has been involved in Sonae’s various business ventures spanning food retail, shopping center management, consumer electronics, telecommunications, food investments and financial services.
Azevedo and Dolores will work closely together over the coming months to prepare for the transition and the group’s next phase, with a shared commitment to its values and confidence in its teams.
“João knows Sonae deeply and combines exceptional capacity and judgment with something equally important: humanity. I know João will lead Sonae into its next chapter in his own way, with ambition, wisdom and a deep sense of responsibility for what makes this company unique,” Azevedo said.
Mars Pet Nutrition
Mars has appointed Deri Watkins as Interim Global President of Mars Pet Nutrition. Watkins has spent 28 years at Mars, including more than 13 years in leadership roles within its Petcare business.
His previous roles at Mars Petcare include General Manager of the UK Petcare business and Regional President for Europe and Australia and New Zealand (ANZ). Most recently, he served as Chief Transformation Officer, overseeing business strategy, mergers and acquisitions (M&A), and digital and organizational transformation.
“Having spent the last 28 years at Mars, I’ve seen firsthand the profound impact our work has on the lives of pets and the people who love them. Pet Nutrition represents the very best of our mission: iconic, trusted brands that help nearly half the world’s pets live happier, healthier, and longer lives made possible every single day by our 20,000 dedicated Associates around the globe,” Watkins said in a LinkedIn post.
MicroHarvest
German biotech firm MicroHarvest is strengthening its leadership team to support commercial expansion and scale up its production in Europe.
Co-founders Katelijne Bekers and Jonathan Roberz will jointly serve as co-CEOs. Justus Reich, previously Head of Finance, has been appointed CFO, while former Head of Operations Jan-Philipp Birke will take over as COO.
Under the new structure, Bekers will focus on opening new markets and regions, while Roberz will oversee strategic execution and expand the company’s European production base. This includes a manufacturing plant in Leuna, 24 km south of Halle (Saale), which is scheduled for completion by the end of 2028.
Birke joined MicroHarvest in May 2024 as Head of Operations, following more than a decade at chemicals company Evonik. There, he led engineering and operations across Germany and China, most recently serving as Head of Engineering Excellence.
Reich has been with MicroHarvest since 2024. Before joining the company, he worked at Sealed Air and Hamburg-based sustainability scale-up BIO-LUTIONS, supporting the development of production facilities, fundraising and corporate transactions.
Fonte: globalpetindustry.com
