Transition Ahead as General Mills Board Appoints New CEO

The board of directors of global food company General Mills named Jeffrey L. Harmening the company’s new chief executive officer on Wednesday, set to replace current CEO Ken Powell on June 1.

Harmening, a 23-year veteran of General Mills who most recently served as the company’s president and chief operating officer, will work to transition the leadership of the company with Powell as the outgoing-CEO prepares for retirement.

“A key responsibility of a board is leading a thoughtful, robust succession planning process,” said R. Kerry Clark, independent lead director of the General Mills board, in a statement. “The board unanimously cast its cote for Jeff as the best candidate to lead this venerable 150-year-old company. Jeff knows how to build talented teams and has extensive experience both in the U.S. and globally.”

As a leader of the company’s U.S. retail business, Harmening helped expand General Mills’ position in the natural and organic foods segments. Through recent acquisitions and other efforts, General Mills has recently become the fourth largest producer of natural and organic foods in the United States. Harmening also served as president of the company’s U.S. cereal business, fostering a realignment of the portfolio that grew the firm’s sales, market share and profitability.

 “I am honored to take the helm of General Mills at such an important point in its history,” said Harmening. “Building on the legacy of those that have led this great company before me is an exciting challenge and one that I do not take on alone. General Mills’ employees are singularly focused on driving growth and returns for the long term, and it will be a privilege to help them reach their goal.”

The incoming CEO holds a bachelor’s degree from DePauw University and an MBA from Harvard.

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