Mondelēz International has announced the appointment of Volker Kuhn as the new president of its Europe business, effective from 1 April 2025.
Kuhn, who will also hold an executive vice president role with the company and report directly to CEO Dirk Van de Put, will replace Vinzenz Gruber in the role, who is set to retire.
Kuhn joins Mondelēz from the hygiene business of Reckitt, where he holds the role of president, having previously held the position of chief transformation officer with the household and personal care business. Prior to that, he spent 26 years with Procter & Gamble, 'leading several critical growth accelerations, turnarounds and business transformations', Mondelēz said, including spending a decade in charge of the Pringles business in Europe.
'Accelerate Growth'
“We’re delighted to welcome Volker Kuhn to our Mondelēz International family,” Van de Put commented. “His breadth and depth of international consumer packaged goods experience, coupled with his track record of impressive results and leadership impact, position him well to accelerate growth in our European region while continuing to strengthen consumer loyalty to our iconic brands.”
Kuhn is set to join Mondelēz International on 6 January, and will work alongside Gruber over the following months to ensure a smooth transition.
Separate to his role at Reckitt, Kuhn also serves as a chairman and non-executive board member of Frosta AG, a European frozen food company. He earned a master’s degree in economics and finance from the University of Fribourg, and he holds dual German and Swiss citizenship.
'Strong Leadership'
Commenting on Gruber's departure, Van de Put added, “On behalf of Team Mondelēz, and especially our European colleagues, I’d like to thank Vince for his strong leadership and passionate dedication in driving commercial and operational excellence, consumer loyalty, and employee development.
"With Vince at the helm, we have advanced core brands including Cadbury, Milka and Oreo across Europe, while expanding into exciting adjacencies such as snack bars, cakes and pastries – setting up the business for continued growth and success. We wish him the very best in retirement.”
