General Mills has appointed Karen Jenkins as its new managing director for Australia and New Zealand. She was sales director ANZ for the last three years and replaces Matt Salter, who is now VP of marketing for General Mills International.
Jenkins has worked at General Mills for two decades, starting in marketing and then category management and sales. From that commercial grounding she became MD of the New Zealand business and then went to the UK to take on the sales director role during the tumultuous time of Brexit and Covid. She returned to Australia three years ago as ANZ sales director.
Earlier this year, Jenkins received global recognition in the company when she was awarded the Business Impact Champion award.
She said she was excited to take on the MD ANZ role during a time of growth and innovation in the region.
“We have an exceptional team and together, we will focus on driving further growth to keep making food the world loves. Our portfolio of beloved products is well-positioned in growth-facing categories like Old El Paso Mexican food, with exciting new developments such as the Latina Fresh + Protein chilled pasta range, innovative snacks, and our timeless classics in baking and premium ice cream with Haagen-Dazs.
“There is truly something for everyone and I look forward to maintaining this momentum while ensuring the business continues its focus on standing for good for people and the planet.
“It’s a privilege to continue the journey with a team of remarkable and hard-working people at a workplace that was recently recognised as a Great Place to Work® for the fifth consecutive year,” she said.
