General Mills has appointed Danone executive Olivier Faujour to lead its operations in France, Benelux and Italy.

He succeeds Yves Lepage who has taken up new responsibilities within General Mills’ international division, becoming director of new market development in the EMEA region.

Faujour, 45, joins General Mills from Danone where he was responsible for the group’s development in Asia, in particular, the setting up of its brands in China and piloting the creation of a subsidiary in South Korea.

He began his career with Procter & Gamble before taking up the post of director of the division that is responsible for Danone’s dairy products for children.