Jeff Harmening to take the helm at General Mills on June 1: 'He is not afraid to challenge the status quo'
General Mills president and COO Jeffrey L. Harmening will become CEO on June 1, 2017, succeeding Ken Powell, who will continue to serve as chairman for a transition period until his retirement, expected within the next year.
R. Kerry Clark, independent lead director of the General Mills board, said: "The board unanimously cast its vote for Jeff as the best candidate to lead this venerable 150-year-old company. Jeff knows how to build talented teams and has extensive experience both in the U.S. and globally. He is not afraid to challenge the status quo and he is a tenacious and resilient leader."
Harmening, who joined General Mills in 1994 and assumed his role as president and COO in July of 2016, has steadily climbed up the corporate ladder, most recently expanding the company's presence in the natural and organic segment through the acquisitions of Annie's and EPIC Provisions.
