From Walmart to Nestle, CEO churn sweeps global consumer goods makers
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Published on 04/13/2026 at 08:09 am EDT
April 13 (Reuters) - Conagra has named John Brase as its new CEO, becoming the latest consumer goods company to make a change at the top as the sector navigates tariff pressures and choppy consumer spending.
Here are some of the major CEO changes among global retailers and consumer goods companies in 2025 and 2026:
Company Date of Details
Announcemen
t
Conagra April 13, Conagra Brands named
2026 nL6N40W0NZJ.M.
Smucker executive
John Brase as its
new CEO, succeeding
Sean Connolly.
Dollar March 24, Dollar General named
General 2026 nL4N40C15A Jerry
Fleeman Jr. as its
new CEO, replacing
company veteran Todd
Vasos, effective
January 1, 2027.
Kroger February 9, Kroger named
2026 nL4N3Z50WX former
Walmart executive
Greg Foran as
its CEO, effective
immediately,
succeeding interim
chief Ron Sargent.
Heineken January 12, Heineken said
2026 nL6N3YD0AA its CEO
Dolf van den Brink
would step down on
May 31 after nearly
six years of leading
the Dutch brewer, as
the industry battles
to get drinkers
buying more beer.
Coty December Coty named
22, 2025 nL6N3XS0D1Procter &
Gamble veteran
Markus Strobel
interim CEO and
executive chairman,
handing him the
reins as the
CoverGirl parent
battles a steep
share-price slide
and pressure on
its mass-market
business.
Kraft December Kraft Heinz named
Heinz 16, 2025 nL4N3XM0OKindustry
veteran and former
Kellanova head,
Steve Cahillane as
its new CEO, ahead
of the packaged food
giant's split.
Cahillane will join
the new role on
January 1,
succeeding Carlos
Abrams-Rivera, who
will serve as an
advisor until March
6.
Lululemon December Lululemon Athletica
Athletica 11, 2025 https://apac1-apps.platform.refinitiv.com/web/apps/quotewebapi?RIC=LULU.O
> said its CEO
Calvin McDonald will
step down reuters://realtime/verb=NewsStory/ric=nL4N3XH1GZ
in January after
about seven years at
the helm.The company
named its finance
chief Meghan Frank
and chief commercial
officer André
Maestrini as
co-interim CEOs
while it searches
for its new boss.
Altria December Altria announced
11, 2025 nL6N3XH0RS that CEO
Billy Gifford, who
has led the tobacco
giant since 2020,
will retire,
effective May 14,
2026. The tobacco
giant announced
Gifford will be
succeeded by finance
head Salvatore
Mancuso.
Coca-Cola December Coca-Cola named
10, 2025 nL4N3XG1P9 COO
Henrique Braun as
its new CEO,
effective March 31,
2026. Braun succeeds
James Quincey, who
is stepping down
after nine years at
the helm.
Kohl's Corp November Kohl's Corp named
24, 2025 nL4N3X00QE retail
veteran Michael
Bender as its
permanent CEO, after
he served as the
interim chief since
May. Bender replaced
Ashley Buchanan, who
was fired nL4N3R913P
for a personal
relationship with a
vendor.
Walmart November The company said
14, 2025 Doug McMillon, who
has been heading the
retail bellwether
since 2014, will
retire nL4N3WQ14F in
January 2026. John
Furner, McMillon's
successor, currently
serves as CEO of
Walmart U.S. and has
held leadership
roles at the
company.
Nestle September Nestle dismissed
1, 2025 nL1N3KA06N its CEO,
Laurent Freixe, a
year after
appointing him,
following an
investigation into
an undisclosed
romantic
relationship with a
direct subordinate
that breached the
company's code of
conduct. Freixe was
replaced by Philipp
Navratil, CEO of
Nestle Nespresso, on
September 1.
Target August 20, The retailer named
2025 nL1N3UC09M longtime
company veteran
Michael Fiddelke as
its CEO, replacing
retail industry
bigwig Brian
Cornell, effective
February 1, 2026.
Procter & July 28, Procter & Gamble
Gamble 2025 said CEO Jon Moeller
is stepping away
from the role
nL4N3TP1N1, to be
succeeded by Chief
Operating Officer
Shailesh Jejurikar.
Diageo July 16, The Johnnie Walker
2025 whisky and Guinness
beer maker's CEO,
Debra Crew, stepped
down nL4N3TD0T5
after two years in
the job, with
finance chief Nik
Jhangiani taking
over in the interim.
Kenvue July 14, The Band-Aid and
2025 Tylenol maker fired
nL4N3TB0W3 its CEO
Thibaut Mongon,
laying what some
investors expect
will be the
groundwork for an
eventual sale of the
entire company or
pieces of it, and
named director Kirk
Perry as interim
CEO.
Hindustan July 10, Hindustan Unilever
Unilever 2025 named nL4N3T712R
Priya Nair as
managing director
and CEO, replacing
Rohit Jawa well
before the
completion of his
five-year term as
the company's chief.
Hershey July 8, Hershey named
2025 nL4N3T50XN burger
chain Wendy's chief
Kirk Tanner as its
CEO, effective
August 18, replacing
Michele Buck, who is
set to retire.
Stanley June 30, The power tools
Black & 2025 maker appointed
Decker nL4N3SX0QE
operations chief
Christopher Nelson
as its next CEO and
president, effective
October 1,
succeeding Donald
Allan Jr., who is
set to retire.
Unilever February The company ousted
25, 2025 nL3N3PG0KH chief
executive Hein
Schumacher,
replacing him with
finance chief
Fernando Fernandez.
(Reporting by Neil J Kanatt, Sanskriti Shekhar and Koyena Das in Bengaluru, Vera Dvorakova in Gdansk; Editing by Anil D'Silva, Alan Barona, Arun Koyyur and Shreya Biswas)