PITTSBURGH & CHICAGO — The Kraft Heinz Company has named three new members of its North America leadership team, including external hires Helen Davis, SVP and head of North America Operations, and Rebecca Dunphey, SVP and president of Fresh, Beverages and Desserts, and internal hire Simon Laroche, SVP, president of Canada and North America Coffee.
The new appointments to critical leadership positions reflect the company’s commitment to driving long-term sustainable growth with best-in-class talent. With extensive functional expertise and a focus on building a culture of ownership and creativity, each leader will bring new capabilities to help steer Kraft Heinz through its ongoing transformation.
Davis joins Kraft Heinz with more than 25 years of experience leading Operations and Supply Chain for major CPG companies across diverse geographies. Most recently, she worked as head of Supply Chain North American Beauty, Wellbeing and Personal Care at Unilever. In her new role, Davis will lean on her rich experience of leading complex global companies through challenging supply-chain environments and modernizing her teams with new tools and team structures.
Furthermore, Dunphey joins Kraft Heinz to oversee some of the company’s most iconic brands. Most recently, she worked at The Clorox Company, where she was group president for its Care & Connection division, leading seven business units. She also served as the executive sponsor of the Clorox Sustainability Program. In her new role, Dunphey will help drive positive share growth by developing evolved brand strategies and through innovation.
Lastly, Laroche has been with the company for more than four years, most recently in the role of president of Australia, New Zealand, South Korean and Japan (ANJ), where he led a team of about 2,500 employees. He brings more than 20 years of experience in the food-and-beverage industry, including nearly 14 years at Labatt Breweries of Canada, where he held several roles, including VP of Sales for the Canadian market.
“The addition of Helen, Rebecca and Simon to the North America leadership team is a huge step in our growth agenda,” says Carlos Abrams-Rivera, North America Zone president for Kraft Heinz. “Each brings world-class talent, and I’m confident this empowered team will help us drive our unique Kraft Heinz culture and create a space to innovate, strengthen our competitive advantages, and unlock our power of one team harnessing greatness.”
Davis has already assumed her role; Dunphey starts on August 14; and Laroche will begin his new role on August 21.
