Kraft executive team includes 12 Cadbury chiefs

Only 12 of the 17 members of Cadbury’s chief executive’s committee have chosen to stay with new owners Kraft.

Cadburys creme egg
Cadburys creme egg

Todd Stitzer, the British company’s chief executive, and Andrew Bonfield, the finance director, have already left. Others now leaving are David Macnair (Science & Technology), Hank Udow (Legal) and Chris Van Steenbergen (HR).

Each of the 12 former Cadbury executives staying has become part of the senior executive team called the EKET, or Extended Kraft Foods Executive Team. About a third of the EKET is from Cadbury. However, no Cadbury executives report directly to Kraft CEO, Irene Rosenfeld – leading observers to raise questions over Cadbury’s integration into the business and further restructuring.

Trevor Bond, president of Cadbury in Britain and Ireland, is among the 12 with his new role as president markets, Kraft Foods Europe having been announced earlier this month.

Back in February when it acquired majority ownership of Cadbury, Kraft committed to name the Kraft Foods executive team, their direct reports and leaders of the regions, countries and categories within 45 days. Friday was the end of that 45-day period.

Kraft says it has now named more than 150 senior leaders to positions within the newly combined company. A spokesman says the company is “pleased” that 12 of the Cadbury executive committee have agreed to stay.

Mary Beth West has already been confirmed as executive vice president and chief marketing officer for Kraft Foods. This is the same role she held prior to the Cadbury acquisition.

Last week, Kraft confirmed it will keep Cadbury’s marketing and sales operations in the UK because “they understand the British market”.

The reassurances were made by Kraft’s executive VP for corporate and legal affairs, Marc Firestone, at an all-party business select committee on March 16.

The hearing saw Firestone, alongside Cadbury president Trevor Bond and HR director Richard Doyle grilled for three hours on their conduct during the £12bn takeover.

Thousands of British workers have been left fearing for their jobs after Kraft’s multi-billion pound takeover, especially as the American firm changed its mind about keeping open the Somerdale factory near Bath.