Unilever-owned ice cream firm Ben & Jerry’s has announced the departure of its CEO and vice president of global brand development.

The firm said yesterday (9 February) that Walt Freese has decided to resign from the company to pursue other “values-led business and investment opportunities”.

Go deeper with GlobalData

Go deeper with GlobalData

The gold standard of business intelligence.

Find out more

Discover B2B Marketing That Performs

Combine business intelligence and editorial excellence to reach engaged professionals across 36 leading media platforms.

Find out more

Freese will continue to lead Ben & Jerry’s and support a transition until his exit at the end of March.

“Walt has done an outstanding job,” said John LeBoutillier, senior vice president of Unilever’s US foods business. “We wish Walt all the best in his future endeavours.”

Freese joined Ben & Jerry’s and Unilever over eight years ago. No announcement has been made on Freese’s successor.

GlobalData Strategic Intelligence

US Tariffs are shifting - will you react or anticipate?

Don’t let policy changes catch you off guard. Stay proactive with real-time data and expert analysis.

By GlobalData

Just Food Excellence Awards - Nominations Closed

Nominations are now closed for the Just Food Excellence Awards. A big thanks to all the organisations that entered – your response has been outstanding, showcasing exceptional innovation, leadership, and impact.

Excellence in Action
Winning five categories in the 2025 Just Food Excellence Awards, Centric Software is setting the pace for digital transformation in food and FMCG. Explore how its integrated PLM and PXM suite delivers faster launches, smarter compliance and data-driven growth for complex, multi-channel product portfolios.

Discover the Impact