Why Is General Mills Inc. Or Jeff Harmening Important?

Every year, many companies choose leaders to be in charge of giant companies. Many thoughts and research go into picking who these leaders will be. After all, they are filling a position that will dictate the course for next few years of the company. As the leaders are chosen, it is unpredictable as to how the newly chosen will steer the company, financially and ethically. Many variables go into the decision making process such as the candidates age, educational and professional history, and leadership abilities. Even when not hiring someone from outside of the company, internal candidates are always being groomed and molded into being one that could one day take reigns and become a leader of leaders. General Mills Inc. is no exception to these …show more content…
It may take up to and over a year for the decision to be officially announced. This is basically an announcement of who the likely candidate will be. Mr. Harmening is currently the Chief Operating Officer (COO) at General Mills. Mr. Harmening is not a stranger to the food industry. “From 2012 to 2014, Mr. Harmening was based in Lausanne, Switzerland, as president of Cereal Partners Worldwide, General Mills’ overseas joint venture with Nestle SA”. (Gasparro, 2016) His actions while President overseas has played a pivotal role in the selection of him as the next CEO of General Mills. Since his return to the United States, he has led a battle that acquired a company named Annie’s that specialized in organic, healthy foods. This venture costed General Mills 820 million dollars but is expected to do well with the ever increasing market for healthier foods rise. He also led a coalition to sell off the brands that have been a household name for a long time. General Mills sold it Green Giant brand to make way for concentrating on healthier brands of manufactured foods. Hamburger Helper is another brand of processed foods that more than likely will be sold as well. Factory closings and declined sales have been evident in these …show more content…
Of course, this combined with the intellect and marketing abilities Mr. Harmening would need to possess in order to appease the shareholders, who just received a pretty healthy dividend for the first two quarters of 2016. Again, it is this author’s opinion that General Mills has made the right decision. Mr. Harmening’s track record with the company should speak for itself. Obviously the company did not pick this gentlemen out of a hat. The boards of directors are smart as well and they would not the future of their company in the hands of a man that they feel would destroy