Our Executive Team
Leading with Passion and Purpose
Jeff Harmening
Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer
Jeff Harmening is chairman of the board and chief executive officer of General Mills, a leading global food company with beloved brands like Cheerios, Nature Valley, Blue Buffalo, Häagen-Dazs, Old El Paso, Pillsbury, Betty Crocker, Annie's and more. Headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota, General Mills’ world-class team of over 30,000 employees work to advance the company’s 160-year legacy of Making Food the World Loves.
During his CEO tenure, Harmening launched the company’s enterprise strategy, mobilizing meaningful brand investment, portfolio reshaping, digital transformation, and people and planetary commitments, all while delivering key financial results. Under his leadership, General Mills made strategic portfolio moves, including entering the fast-growing pet food business with the acquisition of Blue Buffalo. Harmening was also instrumental in expanding the company’s natural and organic portfolio to market leadership. In addition to an upgraded brand portfolio, Harmening and team made significant investments to transform General Mills’ digital, data and technology capabilities.
Harmening’s leadership has resulted in numerous accolades and top rankings for General Mills, including Fortune’s World’s Most Admired Companies, Newsweek’s World’s Most Trustworthy Companies and America’s Most Responsible Companies, and Seramount’s 100 Best Companies.
Harmening joined General Mills in 1994 and has held a variety of leadership roles over his 30-year tenure. Before assuming his current role, Harmening was president and chief operating officer, with responsibility for the Global Supply Chain and Innovation, Technology and Quality teams, as well as the company’s four global operating segments. Prior to this role, he led U.S. Retail, General Mills’ largest division. Harmening also previously served as senior vice president and chief executive officer of Cereal Partners Worldwide, a General Mills-Nestlé joint venture based in Switzerland and operating in 130 countries. Earlier, as senior vice president of the Big G Cereal Division, he led a portfolio realignment resulting in sustained sales and market share growth.
Today, Harmening serves on the boards of the Consumer Brands Association, the Minnesota Business Partnership, the Toro Company and DePauw University. Harmening holds a bachelor’s degree from DePauw University and a master’s degree in business administration from Harvard Business School.
Education
- DePauw University, bachelor's degree
- Harvard University, MBA
Boards
- Consumer Brands Association
- DePauw University
- Minnesota Business Partnership
- The Toro Company