Factbox: From Walmart to Nestle, CEO churn sweeps global consumer goods makers
20/05/2026 15:01
Adds Wendy's May 20 (Reuters) - Fast-food chain Wendy's WEN.O on Wednesday named industry veteran Robert Wright as president and chief executive officer, 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 Announcement | Details |
| Wendy's WEN.O | May 20, 2026 | Wendy's named industry veteran Robert Wright as president and CEO. |
| Lululemon Athletica LULU.O | April 22, 2026 | Lululemon picked a 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 BBY.N | April 22, 2026 | Best Buy named Jason Bonfig as its new CEO, replacing Corie Barry, effective October 31. |
| Conagra CAG.N | April 13, 2026 | Conagra Brands named J.M. Smucker executive John Brase as its new CEO, succeeding Sean Connolly. |
| Dollar General DG.N | March 24, 2026 | Dollar General named Jerry Fleeman Jr. as its new CEO, replacing company veteran Todd Vasos, effective January 1, 2027. |
| Kroger KR.N | February 9, 2026 | Kroger named former Walmart executive Greg Foran as its CEO, effective immediately, succeeding interim chief Ron Sargent. |
| Heineken HEIN.AS | January 12, 2026 | Heineken HEIN.ASsaid its 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 COTY.N | December 22, 2025 | Coty COTY.Nnamed Procter & 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 Heinz KHC.O | December 16, 2025 | Kraft Heinz KHC.Onamed 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 Athletica LULU.O | December 11, 2025 | Lululemon Athletica 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 MO.N | December 11, 2025 | Altria announced 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 KO.N | December 10, 2025 | Coca-Cola named 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 KSS.N | November 24, 2025 | Kohl's Corp named 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 WMT.N | November 14, 2025 | The company said 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 NESN.S | September 1, 2025 | Nestle dismissed 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 TGT.N | August 20, 2025 | The retailer named longtime company veteran Michael Fiddelke as its CEO, replacing retail industry bigwig Brian Cornell, effective February 1, 2026. |
| Procter & Gamble PG.N | July 28, 2025 | Procter & Gamble said CEO Jon Moeller is stepping away from the role, to be succeeded by Chief Operating Officer Shailesh Jejurikar. |
| Diageo DGE.L | July 16, 2025 | The Johnnie Walker 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 KVUE.N | July 14, 2025 | The Band-Aid and 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 Unilever HLL.NS | July 10, 2025 | Hindustan Unilever 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 HSY.N | July 8, 2025 | Hershey named burger chain Wendy's WEN.O chief Kirk Tanner as its CEO, effective August 18, replacing Michele Buck, who is set to retire. |
| Stanley Black & Decker SWK.N | June 30, 2025 | The power tools maker appointed operations chief Christopher Nelson as its next CEO and president, effective October 1, succeeding Donald Allan Jr., who is set to retire. |
| Unilever ULVR.L | February 25, 2025 | The company ousted chief executive Hein Schumacher, replacing him with finance chief Fernando Fernandez. |