Mars Inc. has announced that Grant F. Reid will assume the position of global president as of January 2015.
Reid will step into a co-president role with current president, Paul S. Michaels until December this year when Michaels will retire.
Reid’s previous position was that of global president of the Mars Chocolate business segment, where he oversaw a team over 17,000 employees. During his time in the position, Reid delivered consistent growth in emerging markets an also led the Mars company’s cocoa sustainability initiative, which saw Mars become the first global chocolate company to commit to sourcing all cocoa from certified supplies by 2020.
“In his almost 11 years at the helm of Mars, Incorporated, Paul has overseen a period of outstanding business performance and tremendous achievement,” said Victoria B. Mars, chairman of the Mars board of directors.
“He also built up the talent of the company while strengthening the visible presence of our five principles: quality, efficiency, responsibility, mutuality and freedom — in the way we operate. It's because of his focus on nurturing leaders who are both talented and principled, that we have such a strong internal successor in the business.
“We are proud and excited that Grant, a 26-year veteran of the business, and a member of the Mars leadership team since 2007, will be our next president."
Reid said that he was honoured to have been given the opportunity to lead the company into the future.
“I’m grateful to the Board of Directors for giving me this opportunity and proud to have been chosen as the next President of Mars, Incorporated. Mars has always encouraged and provided opportunity for growth and development of Associates, and I am certainly living proof of that fact,” he said.