General Mills names Dana McNabb as next CEO, effective January 2027

General Mills announced that its board of directors has unanimously elected Dana McNabb, currently the company's Chief Operating Officer, to succeed Jeff Harmening as Chief Executive Officer. Harmening will transition to the role of executive chair of the board. Both appointments take effect January 1, 2027.

McNabb has spent 27 years at General Mills, holding senior roles across general management, enterprise strategy, marketing, and international operations. As COO, she oversees all four of the company's operating segments, including North America Retail, North America Pet, North America Foodservice, and International, as well as Sales, Supply Chain, and Innovation, Technology and Quality.

She previously served as Group President of North America Retail beginning in 2024 and took on North America Pet in 2025. Earlier roles included Chief Strategy & Growth Officer, Group President of the Europe & Australia segment, and President of the U.S. Cereal operating unit. McNabb began her career at General Mills in Canada in 1999. She holds a bachelor's degree in commerce from the University of Ottawa and an MBA from the London Business School.

"Returning the company to profitable growth is the priority, and we know how we'll get there," McNabb said in a statement.

Maria Henry, the board's Independent Lead Director, credited Harmening's tenure with delivering over $17 billion to shareholders through dividends and share repurchases, and said the board undertook a "multi-year succession planning process" before selecting McNabb.

General Mills reported fiscal 2026 net sales of $18 billion. The company's portfolio includes brands such as Cheerios, Blue Buffalo, Häagen-Dazs, Pillsbury, and Betty Crocker.

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