Kraft Food Group, Northfield, IL, and H.J. Heinz Co., Pittsburgh, announced the senior leadership team for The Kraft Heinz Co., once the merger of the two food giants is finalized.

“Our new leadership team represents the best of the best in business with proven track records for delivering results,” says Bernardo Hees, future CEO of the proposed Kraft Heinz Co. “I am thrilled that this world-class group of executives will join me to further strengthen our iconic brands with our industry-leading go-to-market strategies, innovation pipeline and global infrastructure.”

Effective upon the close of the merger transaction, The Kraft Heinz Co. senior leadership team is as follow:

• Paulo Basilio, executive vice president and chief financial officer. He is responsible for all the finance functions and the investor relations area.
• Matt Hill, zone president of Europe. He has been zone president of Heinz Europe since June 2013.
• Emin Mammadov, zone president of Russia, India and Middle East, Turkey and Africa. He has been president of RIMEA since 2013.
• Michael Mullen, senior vice president of Corporate and Government Affairs. He will be responsible for leading internal and external communications, CSR and government affairs. He also have responsibility for the company foundation, real estate and facilities.
• Eduardo Pelleissone, executive vice president of global operations. He will have direct accountability for the company's supply chain, quality, procurement and operations functions in North America and globally.
• Marcos Romaneiro, zone president of Asia Pacific. He has been zone president of Heinz Asia Pacific since June 2014.
• Francisco Sa, zone president of Latin America. He joined Heinz in June 2014 as zone president of Heinz Latin America.
• Jim Savina, senior vice president, general counsel and corporate secretary. He will lead the company's legal function, including corporate governance and securities, transactions, regulatory, intellectual property, litigation, and labor and employment.
• Melissa Werneck, senior vice president Global Human Resources, Performance and IT.
• George Zoghbi, chief operating officer of U.S. Commercial Business. He will lead the company's more than $19 billion U.S. business comprised of five commercial business units.

Given the size of the combined business, Canada will now become a stand-alone zone, reporting directly to Hees. The president of Canada will be announced in August. Chris Kempczinski will remain with the company until September to assist the Kraft Canadian and overseas business transition. Most recently, Kempczinski was executive vice president, Growth, and president, International.

As part of Hees' extended leadership team, the following will report to Zoghbi, head of the U.S. Commercial Business:

• Eduardo Luz, president of the U.S. Ketchup, Condiments, Sauces, Dressings and Frozen business.
• Joe Fragnito, president of the U.S. Beverages & Snack Nuts business.
• Howard Friedman, president of the U.S. Cheese & Dairy business.
• Mark Magnesen, president of the U.S. Meat business.
• Tom Lopez, president of the U.S. Meal Solutions & Desserts business.
• David Toy, president of U.S. Foodservice.
• Sergio Nahuz, head of U.S. Sales.
• Andre Maciel, head of U.S. Commercial Finance, including U.S. Budget and Business Planning (BBP), Zero Based Budgeting (ZBB) and Revenue Management. He will report dotted-line to Basilio.
• Nina Barton, senior vice president of Marketing Innovation, Research and Development.

The following individuals will remain with the Company for a transition period:

• Diane Johnson May, executive vice president of Human Resources at Kraft, will leave in December after 35 years with the company. From now until December, she will work full-time as a close adviser to Hees and Werneck.
• Tom Corley, executive vice president, U.S. Sales at Kraft, will work with Sergio Nahuz, head of U.S. Sales, during a transition period until November.

The company also announced the departures of the following Kraft executives either upon completion of the merger or within 30 days: James Kehoe, executive vice president and chief financial officer; Kim K. Rucker, executive vice president, Corporate & Legal Affairs, general counsel and corporate secretary; Robert Gorski, executive vice president, Integrated Supply Chain; Jane Hilk, chief marketing officer and president, Beverages & Snack Nuts; Dave Ciesinski, president of Meal Solutions; and Fred Paglia, president, Foodservice and U.S. Growth Channels. As previously communicated, Chuck Davis, executive vice president, Research, Development, Quality and Innovation, will also be leaving the organization.