2 - SEAN CONNOLLY, CEO, Hillshire Brands
Next up is Sean Connolly, president and CEO of Jimmy Dean sausage maker and Sara Lee spin-off Hillshire Brands, which has just struck a multi-billion dollar deal to buy Pinnacle Foods.
Pathway to the top: Connolly started his career in CPG at Procter & Gamble, occupying a series of brand management roles before heading to Campbell Soup in 2002 as vice president, Food Brands. He moved up the ladder at Campbell Soup into a series of executive leadership roles before joining Sara Lee in 2012 as CEO of its North American Retail and Foodservice business. When Hillshire Brands was spun off in June 2012, he took the helm.
Education: Connolly has a bachelor’s degree in economics from Vanderbilt University, and an MBA from the University of Texas at Austin.
