Chocolate maker Barry Callebaut has today (17 April) announced that it is hiring the CEO of US food group Michael Foods to head up its operations in the Americas.
The appointment of Dave Johnson is one a series of executive changes at the top of the company outlined today.
The Swiss firm also said Massimo Garavaglia, president and CEO of the company’s Americas business, will head up its western European operations from June.
Garavaglia is set to succeed Onno Bleeker, who has been lined up for a seat on the board of Natra, the Spanish chocolate firm in which Barry Callebaut is set to take a minority stake later this year.
The Barry Callebaut board said it was “very pleased” to see Johnson , a former Kraft Foods executive, join the company.
The board also thanked Bleeker for his 20 years at Barry Callebaut. “We are grateful that we will be able to continue to benefit from his vast professional expertise in his new function,” chairman Andreas Jacobs said.
The moves come just weeks after Barry Callebaut announced a change at the very top of the company.
On 2 April, CEO Patrick De Maeseneire announced his departure after seven years at the helm of Barry Callebaut. He will be replaced in August by Nutreco COO Juergen Steinemann.
