April 22 (Reuters) - Athletic apparel maker Lululemon Athletica picked a former top Nike executive as its next CEO, the latest global consumer goods company to bet on a change at the top amid tariff pressures and choppy consumer spending.
Here are some of the major CEO changes among global retailers and consumer goods companies in 2025 and 2026:
Company Date of Details
Announcemen
t
Lululemon April 22, Lululemon picked a
Athletica 2026 former top Nike
executive as its
next CEO as the
athletic apparel
retailer known for
its stretchy yoga
pants faces
pressure from its
founder and a
large activist
investor to revive
its struggling
business.
Best Buy April 22, Best Buy named
2026 Jason Bonfig as
its new CEO,
replacing Corie
Barry, effective
October 31.
Conagra April 13, Conagra Brands
2026 named J.M. Smucker
executive John
Brase as its new
CEO, succeeding
Sean Connolly.
Dollar March 24, Dollar General
General 2026 named Jerry
Fleeman Jr. as its
new CEO, replacing
company veteran
Todd Vasos,
effective January
1, 2027.
Kroger February 9, Kroger named
2026 former Walmart
executive Greg
Foran as its CEO,
effective
immediately,
succeeding interim
chief Ron
Sargent.
Heineken January 12, Heineken said its
2026 CEO Dolf van den
Brink would step
down on May 31
after nearly six
years of leading
the Dutch brewer,
as the industry
battles to get
drinkers buying
more beer.
Coty December Coty named Procter
22, 2025 & Gamble veteran
Markus Strobel
interim CEO and
executive
chairman, handing
him the reins as
the CoverGirl
parent battles a
steep share-price
slide and pressure
on its mass-market
business.
Kraft December Kraft Heinz named
Heinz 16, 2025 industry veteran
and former
Kellanova head,
Steve Cahillane as
its new CEO, ahead
of the packaged
food giant's
split.
Cahillane will
join the new role
on January 1,
succeeding Carlos
Abrams-Rivera, who
will serve as an
advisor until
March 6.
Lululemon December Lululemon
Athletica 11, 2025 Athletica
said its CEO
Calvin McDonald
will step down in
January after
about seven years
at the helm.The
company named its
finance chief
Meghan Frank and
chief commercial
officer André
Maestrini as
co-interim CEOs
while it searches
for its new boss.
Altria December Altria announced
11, 2025 that CEO Billy
Gifford, who has
led the tobacco
giant since 2020,
will retire,
effective May 14,
2026. The tobacco
giant announced
Gifford will be
succeeded by
finance head
Salvatore Mancuso.
Coca-Cola December Coca-Cola named
10, 2025 COO Henrique Braun
as its new CEO,
effective March
31, 2026. Braun
succeeds James
Quincey, who is
stepping down
after nine years
at the helm.
Kohl's Corp November Kohl's Corp named
24, 2025 retail veteran
Michael Bender as
its permanent CEO,
after he served as
the interim chief
since May. Bender
replaced Ashley
Buchanan, who was
fired for a
personal
relationship with
a vendor.
Walmart November The company said
14, 2025 Doug McMillon, who
has been heading
the retail
bellwether since
2014, will retire
in January 2026.
John Furner,
McMillon's
successor,
currently serves
as CEO of Walmart
U.S. and has held
leadership roles
at the company.
Nestle September Nestle dismissed
1, 2025 its CEO, Laurent
Freixe, a year
after appointing
him, following an
investigation into
an undisclosed
romantic
relationship with
a direct
subordinate that
breached the
company's code of
conduct. Freixe
was replaced by
Philipp Navratil,
CEO of Nestle
Nespresso, on
September 1.
Target August 20, The retailer named
2025 longtime company
veteran Michael
Fiddelke as its
CEO, replacing
retail industry
bigwig Brian
Cornell, effective
February 1, 2026.
Procter & July 28, Procter & Gamble
Gamble 2025 said CEO Jon
Moeller is
stepping away from
the role, to be
succeeded by Chief
Operating Officer
Shailesh
Jejurikar.
Diageo July 16, The Johnnie Walker
2025 whisky and
Guinness beer
maker's CEO, Debra
Crew, stepped down
after two years in
the job, with
finance chief Nik
Jhangiani taking
over in the
interim.
Kenvue July 14, The Band-Aid and
2025 Tylenol maker
fired its CEO
Thibaut Mongon,
laying what some
investors expect
will be the
groundwork for an
eventual sale of
the entire company
or pieces of it,
and named director
Kirk Perry as
interim CEO.
Hindustan July 10, Hindustan Unilever
Unilever 2025 named Priya Nair
as managing
director and CEO,
replacing Rohit
Jawa well before
the completion of
his five-year term
as the company's
chief.
Hershey July 8, Hershey named
2025 burger chain
Wendy's chief Kirk
Tanner as its CEO,
effective August
18, replacing
Michele Buck, who
is set to retire.
Stanley June 30, The power tools
Black & 2025 maker appointed
Decker operations chief
Christopher Nelson
as its next CEO
and president,
effective October
1, succeeding
Donald Allan Jr.,
who is set to
retire.
Unilever February The company ousted
25, 2025 chief executive
Hein Schumacher,
replacing him with
finance chief
Fernando
Fernandez.
(Reporting by Neil J Kanatt, Sanskriti Shekhar and Koyena Das in Bengaluru, Vera Dvorakova in Gdansk; Editing by Sriraj Kalluvila and Maju Samuel)
