Gerald Kunde joined the Nutella maker as senior vice president of government and institutional affairs in North America.
Reporting to Paul Chibe, president and CEO of Ferrero North America, he will lead the development and execution of a comprehensive government and public affairs engagement for the company in the US, Canada and Puerto Rico.
Chibe said: “[Kunde] brings extensive experience within the food industry, and his full understanding of the issues important to our company will ensure that Ferrero continues to have a strong voice in Washington and with our industry partners.”
Ferrero mentioned Kunde had previously worked at the global food service distribution company, Sysco, as VP of government relations since April 2015. He also held leadership positions at several national and state trade associations, including the Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA), in the past.
It is noted that some of the major chocolate makers, including Ferrero and Godiva, still remain as members of the GMA, even though Hershey and Mars – the two biggest US chocolate players – exited the association recently, according to an earlier report on this site.
Kunde, who will be working out of Washington, D.C., said: “I am honored to join Ferrero and look forward to building on the solid foundation of constructive, respectful and responsible engagement that has guided the company for decades.”
Former PepsiCo exec to lead Godiva’s marketing and innovation
In other news, Godiva named John Galloway as its chief marketing and innovation officer, effective October 22. He will also join the company’s global executive committee.
The premium chocolate maker said Galloway has nearly 30 years of marketing and leadership experience, including a ‘very successful’ 13-year period with PepsiCo, where he held marketing leadership roles in Gatorade, Pepsi and other PepsiCo brands.
Commenting on his new position, Annie Young-Scrivner, CEO of Godiva said: “John has incredibly valuable knowledge of digital, CRM (customer relationship management) and experiential marketing.
“His creative agency experience infused with the disciplined approach of the CPG industry makes him the perfect leader for this role.”
Galloway added he always celebrates his special life moments with Godiva’s products prior to joining the company.
“I feel incredibly fortunate to join this business and work with its talented people around the world to make more meaningful connections with our customers across all channels and own more occasions,” he said.
