Campbell Soup, Pick n Pay execs named to Consumer Goods Forum board

The Consumer Goods Forum has elected two new board members with broad packaged goods and retail experience.

Denise Morrison, president and CEO of Campbell Soup Company, and Gareth Ackerman, chairman of Pick n Pay, are joining the board. Morrison will chair the Manufacturer College of the board while Ackerman will chair the Retailer College. The pair will lead the CGF Board for two years, and replace outgoing co-chairs Dick Boer of Royal Ahold and Paul Bulcke of Nestlé.

Morrison is president and CEO of Campbell Soup Company, a global food company that makes a range of products from high-quality soups, simple meals and snacks to packaged fresh foods and beverages. Prior to this, Morrison held a number of positions at Campbell, including EVP/COO, leading the company’s U.S. and North American businesses, after having joined as chief customer officer. For the past two years she has held the position of CGF vice co-chair and will be the CGF’s first ever female co-chair.

I am excited by this opportunity to serve as Co-Chair to lead the Consumer Goods Forum's Board and drive the mission forward promoting ‘Better Lives through Better Business,’" Morrison said. "The organization addresses some of the most important issues facing consumer goods companies globally. Seismic social, economic and technological shifts are transforming consumers’ expectations of companies and the products we make. By harnessing the collective efforts of our industry to build and sustain consumer trust, we have the opportunity to drive both growth and positive change by meeting the needs of people worldwide.”

Gareth Ackerman is non-executive chairman of retail chain Pick n Pay Stores Ltd, one of Africa’s largest and most successful retailers. He is an experienced member of the CGF Board, having previously served as both co-chair and vice co-chair.

“I am delighted to have been elected co-chair of the Consumer Goods Forum," said Gareth Ackerman. "Bringing together 400 businesses in 70 countries, with combined sales in excess of EUR 2.5 trillion, the Forum has a unique opportunity to harness the power of consumers to improve the lives of people across the globe. I am particularly excited to be the first co-chair from Africa, home to the world’s fastest-growing population. It is a continent of huge challenges yet almost limitless opportunity. The Consumer Goods Forum is stronger for its African businesses. And Africa will benefit from the work that the world’s best consumer businesses are leading on sustainability, health, product safety and our value chain and many other areas.”