Godiva CEO stepping down to take reins of Wella Company

Godiva is on the hunt for a new chief executive.

The high-end chocolatier announced that Annie Young-Scrivner is stepping down as CEO at the end of November. In a separate announcement, Young-Scrivner was named chief executive of the Wella Company, whose brands include Wella Professionals, Clairol and OPI.

Godiva also announced that board member Nurtac Afridi will serve as interim CEO. Afridi is the chief strategy and growth officer of Yildiz Holding, parent company of Godiva, which has started a search for a permanent chief executive.

The departing Young-Scrivner, who joined Godiva in 2017 after holding senior positions at Starbucks Corp. and PepsiCo Inc., has worked to bring the company’s chocolate to a wider audience and enhance the brand digital experience. She sits on the boards of Yum! Brands Inc. and Tiffany & Co.