Mondelez scraps CMO role and installs chief growth officer
Mondelez International has scrapped the CMO role and folded global marketing oversight into the responsibilities of a new chief growth officer.
The change means chief category and marketing officer Mary Beth West will leave the Cadbury, Oreo and Philadelphia owner after thirteen years with Mondelez and predecessor Kraft in senior marketing roles.
Her marcomms, insight and consumer services responsibilities will now pass to chief growth officer Mark Clouse who will also lead the corporate strategy and global category, innovation and quality teams.
Clouse has been with the snacks business for 18 years most recently as president of its North American business.
Shifting oversight under one remit is intended to ensure an “integrated approach” that allows Mondelez to “more efficiently allocate resources to accelerate expansion of global innovation platforms, power brands and breakthrough technologies,” the company says in a statement.
Chairman CEO Irene Rosenfeld adds: “It [the restructure] will bring the same focus and discipline to driving sustained, profitable growth that we have brought to improving our cost structure and expanding margins.”
The company has reported mixed results in recent quarters. In the three months to 31 March net revenue dipped 1.2 per cent, while operating profit grew 1.1 per cent to $843m. The company has targeted margin improvements to boost profit growth through efficiency savings and cost-cutting, a strategy that led to the spin-off of its coffee brands into a standalone company in partnership with DE Master Blenders earlier this year.
The company also announced it is to switch to region category-led operating model from next year. The global setup will mirror that recently adopted by the company’s biscuit division, which sees marketing strategy for its biscuit brands set globally and adapted locally.
