Kraft Foods names new leadership at Europe division

NORTHFIELD, Ill. — Kraft Foods announced that Michael Clarke, EVP and president of Kraft Foods Europe, will leave the company in mid-August to take a senior executive position with a U.K.-based public company. Kraft Foods has named Timothy Cofer, formerly SVP of the company's global chocolate category team, to succeed Clarke. Cofer will report to chairman and CEO Irene Rosenfeld and become a member of the Kraft Executive Team. He will be based in Zurich, Switzerland.

Prior to his role as SVP global chocolate category team, Cofer was SVP strategy and Integration, leading the global integration team following the acquisition of Cadbury in early 2010. Cofer was the architect of the company's European chocolate category model (2003-2006). His career has also included successful tenures leading the Oscar Mayer business (2007) and the company's U.S. pizza business (2008-2010). He began his career with Kraft Foods in 1992.

"We sincerely thank Mike for his contributions to turning around our European business, which has now delivered five consecutive quarters of top- and bottom-line growth," Rosenfeld said. "It's disappointing to say good-bye to a talented colleague, but we respect Mike's decision, which will allow him to be closer to his family in the U.K. We wish him the very best."