Kraft Foods on December 17 announced the appointment of Jean-Francois van Boxmeer and Mackey McDonald to its board of directors. Their terms will begin Jan. 1, 2010. With these additions, Kraft Foods' board will have 12 directors, 11 of whom are independent.
Van Boxmeer, 48, is the chairman of the executive board and chief executive officer of Heineken N.V. He is an experienced executive with 25 years in the global beverage industry. McDonald, 62, is a senior advisor at Crestview Partners L.P., and the retired chairman and CEO of VF Corporation. He is a 25-year veteran of the consumer goods industry.
"Jean-Francois and Mackey will be terrific additions to our Board as we continue to build on our position as a global powerhouse in snacks, confectionery and quick meals," said Irene Rosenfeld, chairman and CEO. "Jean-Francois is known as a builder of iconic, global brands with a strong track record for driving revenue growth and leading acquisitions and integrations. Mackey brings a deep knowledge of consumer products, retailing, marketing and brand-building, as well as deep experience in leading business transformation."
About Jean-Francois van Boxmeer
During his 25-year international tenure at Heineken, Van Boxmeer has led a number of significant changes, including replacing the company's 36-person management group with a 12-member executive committee to speed decision-making. In 2008, he led the acquisition of the multi-billion-dollar British brewer Scottish & Newcastle, which expanded Heineken's business in the United Kingdom, Portugal, Finland, Belgium, Ireland, India and the United States. Since assuming his current post in 2005, the company has posted average annual revenue growth of more than 16 percent.
About Mackey McDonald
Prior to his current role at Crestview Partners L.P., McDonald served as chairman and CEO of VF Corporation, a $7.6 billion manufacturer of retail apparel and the No. 1 maker of jeans worldwide. He is credited with transforming VF into a high-growth provider of lifestyle brands and more than doubling the company's revenues during his tenure. Earlier in his career, he held leadership roles at Sara Lee, including director of operations for Hanesbrands. He remains active on corporate boards, including Wells Fargo & Company and Hyatt Hotels Corporation. Previously, he served as a director of Wachovia Corporation, The Hershey Company and Tyco International.
About Kraft Foods
From American brand icons like Kraft cheeses, dinners and dressings, Maxwell House coffees and Oscar Mayer meats, to global powerhouse brands like Oreo and LU biscuits, Philadelphia cream cheeses, Jacobs and Carte Noire coffees, Tang powdered beverages and Milka, Cote d'Or, Lacta and Toblerone chocolates, Kraft Foods’ brands deliver millions of smiles every day. Kraft Foods is the world's second-largest food company, with revenues of $42 billion in 2008.
