Kellogg Co. today (Sept. 28) announced the hiring of a vitamin company CEO as its immediate CEO and eventual chairman of the board, replacing John Bryant, who "has decided to retire."
That's not entirely fair: Steven Cahillane has been president/CEO of Nature's Bounty just since 2014, and earlier spent many years at both Coca-Cola and AB-InBev. He will take over as CEO on Oct. 2, and will also get the chairman's title when Bryant fully retires on March 15, 2018.
Nature's Bounty Co. is a leading vitamin manufacturer and marketer — although Kellogg statements referred to it as a "health and wellness company," an indicator of where Kellogg would like to be.
Bryant was a longtime employee of the Battle Creek, Mich., company and has been its CEO for seven years. "I am even more confident in the future of our company today than at any other time in my 20 years with Kellogg," Bryant said. "I've decided that the time is right to hand over the reins to a new leader who can continue the transformation of this great company."
Prior to Nature's Bounty, Cahillane spent seven years with Coca-Cola Co., most recently as president of Coca-Cola Americas, the global beverage maker's largest business with $25 billion in sales. Other roles there included president/CEO of the Coca-Cola Refreshments business, president of Coca-Cola Enterprises in North America and president of Coca-Cola Enterprises in Europe.
Earlier, he spent eight years with AB InBev, mostly InBev, in various senior leadership roles. As chief commercial officer, he led commercial strategy, global marketing, sponsorships, innovation and research following the 2004 merger of Interbrew and AmBev. His tenure with the company also included serving as CEO for the company's Interbrew U.K. and Labatt USA subsidiaries.
He's 52, earned an MBA from Harvard Business School and a bachelor's degree in political science from Northwestern University.
