The announcement came as Lale Saral Develioglu, the former chief marketing officer, left Pladis after working at the company for the last two years.
Ivanov, who will work out of Pladis’ UK headquarters in Hayes, is expected to bring together the global marketing, digital and research and development teams to align them with a “consumer-centric, commercial focus,” said the company.
The Godiva chocolate owner noted Ivanov is a global marketing veteran having worked at some large FMCG companies including P&G and PepsiCo. He also worked at RedBull and Bacardi, where he was responsible for bringing the brand to the global stage.
Cem Karakas, CEO of Pladis, said, “Dima’s appointment is a natural next step in our journey to build a commercial powerhouse.”
“We are leading the change across our industry and transforming our company to be even more digital, brand and consumer focused,” he said. “We are making new and much loved snacks faster and better than ever before, improving the field-to-shelf experience at every point.”
Pladis, formed in 2016 by consolidating United Biscuits, Godiva and DeMet’s Candy, is the global confectionery arm of Turkish conglomerate Yildiz Holding.