General Mills names Dana McNabb CEO starting in 2027

The board of directors of General Mills has unanimously elected Dana McNabb as its next chief executive officer, effective January 1, 2027. McNabb, who currently serves as chief operating officer, will succeed Jeff Harmening. Harmening will assume the role of executive chair of the board of directors on the same date.

McNabb has spent 27 years at the food maker since joining in Canada in 1999. In her current role, she oversees all four operating segments: North America Retail, North America Pet, North America Foodservice, and International. Her responsibilities also cover corporate functions including Sales, Supply Chain, and Innovation, Technology and Quality. McNabb previously served as group president of North America Retail starting in 2024, added North America Pet in 2025, and previously held positions including chief strategy and growth officer and group president for Europe and Australia.

Independent Lead Director Maria Henry noted that under Harmening's leadership of nearly a decade, General Mills returned more than $17 billion to shareholders via dividends and share repurchases. The company also revamped one-third of its brand portfolio, notably by entering the pet category with Blue Buffalo.

The maker of Cheerios, Nature Valley, and Häagen-Dazs reported net sales of $18 billion in fiscal 2026. General Mills also recorded a proportional share of $1 billion in net sales from non-consolidated joint ventures, including Cereal Partners Worldwide.