Sara Lee Corp. announced that Harm-Jan van Pelt has been appointed chief operating officer, rest of world, of Sara Lee’s International Coffee and Tea Rest of World division, effective April 30, 2012. The company also announced that Eugenio Minvielle will be appointed chief operating officer of Sara Lee’s international coffee and tea developed markets division, primarily focused on Western Europe.
The role covers the business in Eastern Europe, Australasia and Latin America. He will continue to serve in the same role once the International Coffee and Tea business is spun-off from Sara Lee Corp.
Van Pelt, 49, started with Sara Lee in 1998 and since performed a number of international marketing and general management roles across both the Household and body care business as well as the coffee and tea business, working in Spain and The Netherlands and responsibility for activities in Australasia and Eastern Europe.
Previously he was with Henkel in several senior marketing roles, working in the Netherlands, Germany and Belgium.
Van Pelt, member of the company’s executive committee, will continue to report into CEO Michiel Herkemij. "Harm-Jan brings an outstanding track record in the company. More recently he has had a significant impact in getting the Western European countries aligned and focused” said Sara Lee Corp's International Coffee and Tea business Chief Executive Officer Michiel Herkemij in a prepared statement. "His passion and drive will be instrumental in delivering our strategies."
The company also announced that Eugenio Minvielle will be appointed chief operating officer of Sara Lee’s international coffee and tea developed markets division, primarily focused on Western Europe.
Minvielle, 47, is a seasoned executive with more than 20 years’ experience in the consumer packaged goods (CPG) industry, primarily in the coffee industry.
He joins from Unilever where he served as CEO North America, overlooking Unilever’s operations in the USA, Canada and the Caribbean.
Previously he was president and CEO of Nestlé France, Mexico and Venezuela. Prior to Nestlé, Minvielle held a variety of management positions and worked for Procter & Gamble in Spain and Canon in Japan.
Minvielle has Mexican and French nationalities and is fluent in Spanish, French and English. Minvielle is married with two children and will relocate to Europe upon commencement of his role.
Minvielle, member of the company’s executive committee, will report into CEO Michiel Herkemij.
"Eugenio's in-depth experience and knowledge of the international coffee business will be invaluable in setting our company up for our strategies,” said Herkemij. "His skills are a great complementary asset to the senior management team."
