General Mills has named longtime company executive Dana McNabb its next chief executive officer, handing the reins to a 27-year veteran as the packaged-food giant works to restore sales and profit growth in a challenging consumer environment.
McNabb, currently chief operating officer, will succeed Jeff Harmening as CEO effective Jan. 1, 2027. Harmening, who has led General Mills since 2017, will remain with the company as executive chair of its board of directors.
The appointment was approved unanimously by the General Mills board following what the company described as a multi-year succession-planning process.
“Returning the company to profitable growth is the priority, and we know how we’ll get there,” McNabb said. She pointed to digitally enabled demand generation and supply-chain modernization as two priorities for improving the company’s operations.
McNabb joined General Mills in Canada in 1999 and has held leadership positions spanning general management, marketing, strategy and international operations. She became group president of North America Retail in 2024 and added responsibility for North America Pet in 2025 before being elevated to chief operating officer in June.
In her current role, McNabb oversees General Mills’ four operating segments — North America Retail, North America Pet, North America Foodservice and International — along with sales, supply chain and the company’s innovation, technology and quality functions.
Her previous positions include chief strategy and growth officer, group president of Europe and Australia, president of the U.S. Cereal operating unit and vice president of global marketing for Cereal Partners Worldwide, General Mills’ joint venture with Nestlé.
McNabb, 50, will become the first woman to serve as CEO of General Mills.
General Mills’ Growth Challenge Awaits
The leadership change comes as General Mills and other major packaged-food manufacturers contend with cautious consumer spending, persistent cost pressures and growing competition from private label.
General Mills has forecast fiscal 2027 organic net sales ranging from a 1.5% decline to a 0.5% increase, while adjusted operating profit is expected to decline between 8% and 13% in constant currency.
The company has been working to strengthen demand through product innovation, marketing and value investments while also modernizing a supply chain that executives have acknowledged needs to become more efficient.
General Mills generated approximately $18 billion in net sales during fiscal 2026. Its portfolio includes Cheerios, Betty Crocker, Pillsbury, Nature Valley, Totino’s, Old El Paso and Blue Buffalo.
Harmening’s tenure included a significant reshaping of that portfolio, most notably General Mills’ expansion into pet food. The company said roughly one-third of its portfolio was revamped during his leadership and that more than $17 billion was returned to shareholders through dividends and share repurchases.
“Dana has a strong track record of success, and a deep understanding of our consumers, our brands, our company and our industry,” said Maria Henry, independent lead director of the General Mills board. “Dana is an outstanding leader with a clear strategic vision that she will translate into tangible outcomes.”
McNabb’s appointment is worth watching because her mandate is clearly about a return to growth. With General Mills emphasizing demand generation, innovation and supply-chain modernization, retailers could see a more aggressive push behind major brands, new products and promotional activity. Just as important, McNabb takes over while private label continues to pressure big CPG companies — making the manufacturer’s approach to pricing, assortment and retailer partnerships particularly important in 2027.