DANONE Press release - April 13, 2016
Appointment to the Executive Committee:
Bridgette Heller, Executive Vice President, Early Life Nutrition
Danone today announced the appointment of Bridgette Heller as Executive Vice President, Early Life Nutrition, and member of the Executive Committee with effect from July 1, 2016. On that date, she will take over from Felix Martin Garcia, who led the development of this business for nearly six years.
Over the past 17 years, Bridgette Heller has held a range of positions, starting with Kraft Foods and moving on to serve as Global President for Johnson & Johnson, Baby Care, before becoming President, Consumer Care, for Merck.
Backed by very solid international experience, she has developed expertise in both FMCG and Healthcare that offers a perfect fit with the specific needs and challenges involved in growing the Early Life Nutrition business.
Danone CEO Emmanuel Faber said: "I would first like to salute and thank Felix Martin Garcia for his contributions to Danone's growth in the key positions he's held for 18 years. Let me refer in particular to the past few years, when he successfully led our Early Life Nutrition division-now our second business by sales. His loyalty, commitment, energy and talent are acknowledged and appreciated by one and all. Bridgette Heller is a proven leader with impressive experience who, throughout her career, has demonstrated a unique ability to engage her teams. I believe that passing the baton to her will ensure continued success for our category. On behalf of the entire Executive Committee, I am delighted to welcome Bridgette to the Danone family."
In 2015, the Early Life Nutrition division generated sales of nearly €5 billion, reporting the company's strongest growth (nearly 10%) and operating margin (19%).
About Danone (www.danone.com)
Dedicated to bringing health through food to as many people as possible, Danone is a leading global food company built on four business lines: Fresh Dairy Products, Early Life Nutrition, Waters and Medical Nutrition. Through its mission and dual commitment to business success and social progress, the company aims to build a healthier future, thanks to better health, better lives and a better world, for all its stakeholders-its 100,000 employees, consumers, customers, suppliers, shareholders and all the communities with which it engages.
Present in over 130 markets, Danone generated sales of €22.4 billion in 2015, with more than half in emerging countries. Danone's brand portfolio includes both international brands (Activia, Actimel, Danette, Danonino, Danio, evian, Volvic, Nutrilon/Aptamil, Nutricia) and local brands (Oikos, Prostokvashino, Aqua, Bonafont, Mizone, Blédina, Cow & Gate).
Listed on Euronext Paris and on the OTCQX market via an ADR (American Depositary Receipt) program, Danone is a component stock of leading social responsibility indexes including the Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes, Vigeo and the Ethibel Sustainability Index.
Bridgette Heller's biography
Bridgette Heller started her career at Kraft Foods in 1985. She spent seventeen years in the company, including Executive Vice President and General Manager for the North American Coffee portfolio. In 2005, Bridgette Heller joined Johnson & Johnson as Global President for the Baby Global Business Unit. Ultimately Bridgette Heller became Executive Vice President & President, Consumer Care, for Merck & Co in 2010.
Bridgette Heller is an American citizen. She received an MBA from the J. L. Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University and received her B.A. from Northwestern University.
The issuer of this announcement warrants that they are solely responsible for the content, accuracy and originality of the information contained therein.
Source: DANONE via Globenewswire
