J.P. Bilbrey, the interim president and CEO at Hershey, has been handed the job on a permanent basis.
Bilbrey, previously the chocolate maker’s COO, replaced Dave West on an interim basis last month. West had decied to leave Hershey after nine years with the business – and four as president and CEO – to take the top job at Del Monte Foods.
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Hershey chairman James Nevels said yesterday (15 June) that Bilbrey had “built a very effective relationship with the board as well as with the various Hershey communities and constituencies”.
Bilbrey, Nevels said, had “earned the respect of Hershey’s customers, employees and stockholders and the confidence of this board”.
Nevels added: “In determining how to best fill this position, the board unanimously concluded that J.P. is the right person to continue as president and CEO and to lead the company into the future.”
The appointment was expected by industry insiders. When Bilbrey was appointed to the role on an interim basis, Barclays Capital senior analyst for packaged food Andrew Lazar said the executive “may well ultimately get the nod as permanent CEO of Hershey”.
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By GlobalDataBilbrey, Lazar claimed, had been the “co-architect of many of Hershey’s successful strategies of the past several years”.
