Dirk Van de Put
Summary
Dirk Van de Put has served as Mondelēz International’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer since November 2017, becoming Chair in April 2018. ([mondelezinternational.com](https://www.mondelezinternational.com/about-us/leadership/board-of-directors/dirk-van-de-put/?utm_source=openai))
Biography
Van de Put is a Belgian-born consumer-products executive with more than three decades of experience in food, beverages, healthcare and packaged goods. Before joining Mondelēz, he was President and Chief Executive Officer of McCain Foods from 2011 to 2017, after serving as its Chief Operating Officer. ([mondelezinternational.com](https://www.mondelezinternational.com/about-us/leadership/board-of-directors/dirk-van-de-put/?utm_source=openai)) Earlier in his career, he led the global over-the-counter consumer-health division at Novartis and held senior roles at Groupe Danone, including leadership positions in the Americas and Latin America. He also worked at Coca-Cola and Mars in sales, marketing and general-management roles across Europe and Latin America. Van de Put holds a doctorate in veterinary medicine from the University of Ghent and a postgraduate business degree from the University of Antwerp. ([mondelezinternational.com](https://www.mondelezinternational.com/about-us/leadership/board-of-directors/dirk-van-de-put/?utm_source=openai))
Notable achievements
- Led Mondelēz’s post-2017 strategy focused on chocolate, biscuits and broader snacking, while the company reported approximately $38.5 billion in 2025 net revenue. ([mondelezinternational.com](https://www.mondelezinternational.com/about-us/leadership/executive-team/dirk-van-de-put/?ysclid=mdpz41srqq202205044&utm_source=openai))
- Oversaw the acquisitions of Chipita and Clif Bar, expanding Mondelēz’s international bakery and snack-bar businesses. ([ir.mondelezinternational.com](https://ir.mondelezinternational.com/news-releases/news-release-details/mondelez-international-reports-q1-2023-results?utm_source=openai))
- Built a long-term corporate purpose and sustainability agenda around helping consumers “snack right,” including continued investment in cocoa-supply-chain programs. ([mondelezinternational.com](https://www.mondelezinternational.com/about-us/leadership/executive-team/dirk-van-de-put/?ysclid=mdpz41srqq202205044&utm_source=openai))
- Maintained a program of brand investment, structural cost savings and capital allocation intended to support long-term volume growth despite severe cocoa-cost inflation. ([ir.mondelezinternational.com](https://ir.mondelezinternational.com/news-releases/news-release-details/mondelez-international-reports-q4-and-fy-2025-results?utm_source=openai))
Problem areas / controversies
- Mondelēz’s 2025 earnings declined sharply, with net income down 46.8% and volume/mix down 3.7%, as cocoa and other input costs pressured profitability. ([ir.mondelezinternational.com](https://ir.mondelezinternational.com/news-releases/news-release-details/mondelez-international-reports-q4-and-fy-2025-results?utm_source=openai))
- His decision to continue operating Mondelēz’s Russian business has drawn criticism, including after comments that investors did not “morally care” about the issue. ([irishtimes.com](https://www.irishtimes.com/business/2024/02/22/cadbury-owner-says-investors-do-not-morally-care-about-russian-business/?utm_source=openai))
- Environmental and human-rights groups have criticized Mondelēz’s cocoa supply chain, and a 2023 lawsuit alleged that the company benefited from child labor in Ghana; the allegations were made against the company and do not establish personal wrongdoing by Van de Put. ([internationalrightsadvocates.org](https://www.internationalrightsadvocates.org/cases/ghana?utm_source=openai))
- The European Commission fined Mondelēz €337.5 million in May 2024 for competition-law violations involving restrictions on cross-border trade; the enforcement action concerned the company during his tenure as CEO. ([ec.europa.eu](https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/api/files/document/print/en/ip_24_2727/IP_24_2727_EN.pdf?utm_source=openai))