Many of Kraft’s top leaders, including Chief Financial Officer James Kehoe, will leave the food maker soon after it combines with H.J. Heinz, the companies said Monday.
Heinz announced its plan to buy Northfield-based Kraft in March. Kraft shareholders are set to vote on the deal Wednesday.
The companies announced back in March that Heinz CEO Bernardo Hees would become CEO of the proposed Kraft Heinz Co. On Monday, they announced a number of other executives who will join Hees’ team at the combined company, which is set to have offices in Pittsburgh and the Chicago area.
Heinz CFO Paulo Basilio is set to become CFO. Kehoe, who just came back to Kraft in March, will depart once the deal closes or within 30 days, Kraft and Heinz said in a joint statement.
Once the deal closes, some of Heinz’s top executives will remain in roles similar to those they were given in June 2013, when Heinz was acquired by Berkshire Hathaway and 3G Capital. There are some Kraft executives in the mix, though many of the leadership roles are being filled by Heinz executives.
3G, a private equity firm known for deep cost cutting, linked up with Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway in 2013 to buy Heinz. The companies have not yet said how many jobs in all will be eliminated as part of the combination. At Heinz, more than 7,000 jobs — about 20 percent of the workforce — were eliminated in the 18 months after it was acquired by Berkshire Hathaway and 3G.
Matt Hill, zone president of Heinz Europe since June 2013, will become zone president of Europe at Kraft Heinz. Emin Mammadov will become zone president of Russia, India and Middle East, Turkey and Africa. He was named zone president of Heinz Russia, Turkey, and Middle East and Africa in June 2013. Eduardo Pelleissone, who joined Heinz in July 2013 as head of operations, will become executive vice president of global operations. Marcos Romaneiro, zone president of Heinz Asia Pacific since June 2014, will be zone president of Asia Pacific. Francisco Sa, zone president of Heinz Latin America since June 2014, will be zone president of Latin America at Kraft Heinz.
George Zoghbi, who has been at Kraft since 2007 and has been its chief operating officer since February, will be COO of U.S. commercial business, leading five commercial business units.
A number of executives will report to Zoghbi, including Heinz’s Eduardo Luz, who will become president of the U.S. ketchup, condiments, sauces, dressings and frozen business. Kraft’s Joe Fragnito will become president of the U.S. beverages and snack nuts business. Kraft’s Howard Friedman will be president of the U.S. cheese and dairy business. Mark Magnesen, who was named president of Kraft’s Oscar Mayer division in March, will become president of the U.S. meat business. Kraft’s Tom Lopez will be president of the U.S. meal solutions and desserts business.
Heinz did not say who will be running the Canada business, which will now become its own zone, reporting directly to Hees. Chris Kempczinski, Kraft’s executive vice president of growth initiatives and president of international, will stay until September, helping with the Canada integration and the rollout of Kraft brands outside North America.
Kraft’s Nina Barton, most recently vice president of marketing for coffee, will become senior vice president of marketing innovation, research and development.
Other Kraft executives leaving once the deal closes or within 30 days are: Kim Rucker, executive vice president of corporate and legal affairs, general counsel and corporate secretary; Robert Gorski, executive vice president of integrated supply chain; Jane Hilk, chief marketing officer and president of beverages and snack nuts; Dave Ciesinski, president of meal solutions; Fred Paglia, president of foodservice and U.S. growth channels; and Chuck Davis, executive vice president of research, development, quality and innovation.
Diane Johnson May, executive vice president of human resources at Kraft, will leave in December after 35 years with the company. The companies also said Tom Corley, executive vice president of U.S. sales at Kraft, will work with Sergio Nahuz, head of U.S. sales, until November.
The companies said back in March that Heinz Chairman Alex Behring will become chairman of Kraft Heinz, while Kraft Chairman and CEO John Cahill will be vice chairman and chair of an operations and strategy committee of the board.
Michael Mullen, who joined Heinz in 1998, is set to become senior vice president of corporate and government affairs. Jim Savina, who joined Kraft in 2013 and was chief compliance officer, will be general counsel and corporate secretary of Kraft Heinz.
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