PARIS – Danone SA has added a chief operations officer, a chief research, innovation, quality and food safety officer, and a chief sustainability and strategic business development officer to its leadership team.
Vikram Agarwal has been named chief operating officer. He was most recently a strategic adviser with Dole Packaged Foods LLC. Prior to that he was chief supply chain officer with Avon.
Isabelle Esser has been named chief research, innovation, quality and food safety officer with the company and will be charged with managing Danone’s science, innovation, quality and product development agenda. Most recently, she was the chief human resources officer with Barry Callebaut, after a career of over 25 years in research and development at Unilever, where she last held the position of executive vice president R&D foods transformation in the Global Foods and Refreshment Division.
Henri Bruxelles has been promoted from COO of end-to-end design to delivery to chief sustainability and strategic business development officer. He will be responsible for identifying, assessing, and exploring new and sustainable growth opportunities, from geographic, category, and business model perspectives, according to the company.
“The completion of the Danone’s executive committee team, in particular with the addition of two new senior executives recognized for their expertise, is an important step in bringing Danone back to what made it a unique company: a passion for brands and innovation and excellence in execution, all combined with a pioneering spirit in terms of sustainability,” said Antoine de Saint-Affrique, chief executive officer
