Irene Rosenfeld
Co-founder 2012Background
Kraft Foods chief executive during the 2012 spin-off and creation of Mondelez International.
Role at Mondelez International, Inc.
Mondelēz International possesses a complex, synthetic founding story, as the modern corporate entity was technically created in 2012. However, its foundational DNA is entirely rooted in the historic amalgamation of arguably the greatest, most innovative snack pioneers in history (specifically National Biscuit Company and Cadbury). The most foundational pillar of Mondelēz is the National Biscuit Company (Nabisco). Nabisco was formed in 1898 in an aggressive mega-merger orchestrated by Adolphus Green, a brilliant corporate lawyer who rolled up over 100 fragmented local bakeries. Green's 'eureka' moment was realizing that traditional crackers were sold unsanitarily out of open barrels. He revolutionized the industry by inventing the proprietary 'In-er-seal' packaging (a wax-paper lined cardboard box), preserving freshness and launching the Uneeda Biscuit. In 1912, Nabisco altered the trajectory of global snacking by inventing the iconic Oreo, a simple yet brilliant structural design (two chocolate disks with a cream center) that became the best-selling cookie in global history. The second foundational pillar was acquired in 2010 when Kraft executed a hostile, £11.5 billion acquisition of Cadbury. Cadbury was a prestigious, historic British chocolate company founded in 1824 by John Cadbury (an ethical Quaker). The aggressive, American takeover of this beloved British institution caused national outrage. However, by combining Nabisco's dominance in biscuits with Cadbury's global chocolate infrastructure, the architects of Mondelēz created the foundational framework for the snacking empire that dominates the globe today.