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General Mills names COO Dana McNabb as next CEO
She succeeds Jeff Harmening, who becomes executive chair of the board of directors
The employee grocery store at General Mills' headquarters in Golden Valley, Minn. (Ben Brewer/Bloomberg)
Key Takeaways:
- General Mills said Chief Operating Officer Dana McNabb will become CEO at the start of next year, succeeding Jeff Harmening after nearly three decades at the company.
- The leadership change makes McNabb, 50, the only woman leading a major packaged food company, while General Mills shares were little changed premarket.
- Harmening, CEO since 2017, will become executive chair of the board as the company navigates a stock decline of 27% this year through Sept. 29.
General Mills Inc. said Dana McNabb will become its CEO at the start of next year, succeeding Jeff Harmening.
McNabb, who is 50 and currently the packaged food company’s chief operating officer, has worked at General Mills for nearly three decades and has recently ascended the ranks. She’ll become the only woman leading a major firm in the sector.
The Minneapolis-based General Mills has struggled recently, as competition from smaller companies offering healthier options has intensified and consumers remain under financial pressure. The company’s North American retail sales declined in the most recent quarter after General Mills completed a wave of price cuts.
“Returning the company to profitable growth is the priority, and we know how we’ll get there,” McNabb said in the press release. That will include modernizing the supply chain, she said. “We will fundamentally improve how we operate.”
Shares of General Mills were little changed on Sept. 30. The stock had declined 27% this year through Tuesday, compared with a 12% advance for the S&P 500.
The packaged-food industry has seen widespread turnover among its CEOs, amid weakening results and public pressure to produce healthier offerings. In the last year or so, Hershey, Coca-Cola, Kraft Heinz and Conagra Brands have all named new chief executives.
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The company, which makes Cheerios and Progresso soups, has said it is adding more protein and fiber into new products which can command a higher price, such as Honey Nut Cheerios Protein.
General Mills said this summer that it’s looking for $3 billion in cost savings by fiscal year 2030.
McNabb started at General Mills in Canada in 1999 and worked in a series of roles in marketing and the U.S. cereal unit. She became the group president of the key North American retail division in 2024 and took on pet food in 2025. She became the chief operating officer earlier this year.
Harmening, who became CEO in 2017, will become the executive chair of the board of directors.
