Kraft reorganizes to become more global
Jan 8, 2004 12:00 PM, from staff and wire reports
Roger K Deromedi, chief executive officer of Kraft Foods Inc, announced a new global organizational structure to position Kraft to deliver sustainable growth more strongly.In the new structure, a new global marketing and category development group is being formed to accelerate growth and global expansion. Second, geographic-based commercial units will be responsible for driving strong results country by country. Third, key functions will now be worldwide in scope, to increase effectiveness and drive cost savings across Kraft's business system. All three groups will work together in alignment with the company's five global consumer sectors: Cheese & Dairy, Beverages, Grocery, Snacks, and Convenient Meals.
Betsy Holden, 48, has been named presidentÐglobal marketing and category development, reporting to Deromedi, and will continue as a member of the Kraft board of directors. Holden had been co-CEO of Kraft and president and CEO of Kraft Foods North America.
Kraft's geographic-based commercial units will be grouped into North America Commercial and International Commercial, with direct responsibility for country-by-country marketing and sales, including profit and loss responsibility. These organizations will drive Kraft's businesses at the local level.
All Kraft units based in Rye Brook NY will be moving to new locations. The Desserts and Post divisions along with Marketing Services, eCommerce, and Information Systems staff will relocate to the Tarrytown NY area. All other North American divisions will remain in their current locations. The International Commercial group in Rye Brook will be based in Northfield IL, and the headquarters for the Latin America Region will move to Miami FL.
