Kraft Heinz announces new leadership

Packaged food giant Kraft Heinz announced changes to its leadership team in the coming year, months after naming a new chief executive.

The maker of Heinz Ketchup and Kraft Macaroni and Cheese appointed Carlos Abrams-Rivera as CEO and a member of the board, effective Jan. 1.

Until then, Abrams-Rivera will continue in his role as president of the North America Zone for the company, which is dually headquartered in Pittsburgh and Chicago. He also was named president of Kraft Heinz in August.

He succeeds Miguel Patricio, who has served as CEO since 2019 and board chair since 2022. Patricio will continue to serve on the board.

“Over the past four years under Miguel’s leadership, we’ve made great progress and now have a solid foundation to build our future,” said Abrams-Rivera in an announcement. “Our strategic plan maps our ‘jobs to be done’ in each of our ‘must-win’ markets and defines the areas where we believe we need to focus to accelerate our growth. Our updated structure is designed to help us activate that strategy — with a focus on profitable growth and a dynamic omnichannel plan.”

The following people will take on these roles in 2024:

• Pedro Navio is being promoted to president, North America. Navio has been with Kraft Heinz since 2017, most recently in the role of president of taste, meals, and away from home in North America.
• Willem Brandt has been named as president, Europe and Pacific Developed Markets. Brandt has been at Kraft Heinz since 2021 in the role of continental Europe president.
• Bruno Keller is being promoted to president, west and east emerging markets. Keller has been with Kraft Heinz since 2014 and most recently served as president, Latin America.
• Cory Onell will move to chief omnichannel sales & Asia emerging markets officer. Onell has been with Kraft Heinz since 2020 in the role of president of U.S. sales.
• Diana Frost has been named chief growth officer. Frost has been with Kraft Heinz since 2020, most recently as chief growth officer for North America.