USA – General Mills, an American manufacturer and marketer of consumer foods and pet food has announced the appointment of Asheesh Saksena as its new Chief Strategy and Growth Officer, effective August 26, 2024.
Saksena will report directly to Jeff Harmening, Chairman and CEO, and join the Senior Leadership Team.
In his new role, Saksena will have global accountability for the company’s comprehensive strategic planning process and for building long-term, sustainable plans and capabilities to accelerate growth. He succeeds Dana McNabb, who was recently appointed Group President of North America Retail.
“I’m thrilled to welcome Asheesh to General Mills,” said Harmening. “Over the course of his career, Asheesh has consistently demonstrated a clear track record of driving growth across various industries.
As we continue to build our brands, relentlessly innovate, and revamp our portfolio for today’s families, I am confident Asheesh will be instrumental in helping build consumer love for our iconic core brands.”
Saksena brings a wealth of experience to General Mills, having most recently served as Chief Growth Officer for Gap, Inc., where he was responsible for operations, technology, and the company’s growth, portfolio, and diversification strategy.
His previous roles include President of Best Buy Health and Chief Strategic Growth Officer at Best Buy Co., Inc., Chief Strategy Officer for Cox Communications, and Deputy Chief Strategy Officer at Time Warner Cable.
Saksena holds a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Birla Institute of Technology & Science, Pilani, India, and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Delhi, India.
He has also served on the Board of Industry Advisors for the Consumer Technology Forum (CES) and as a Board Trustee for the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
General Mills is renowned for its portfolio of beloved brands, including Cheerios, Nature Valley, Blue Buffalo, Häagen-Dazs, Old El Paso, Pillsbury, Betty Crocker, Yoplait, Totino’s, Annie’s, Wanchai Ferry, and Yoki.
Guided by its Accelerate strategy, the company aims to boldly build its brands, relentlessly innovate, unleash its scale, and stand for good. In fiscal 2024, General Mills generated net sales of US$20 billion, with an additional US$1 billion from non-consolidated joint ventures.
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