Dirk Van de Put

Dirk Van de Put became chairman and CEO of Mondelez International in 2017, leading the world's largest pure-play snacking company with over $36 billion in annual revenue. Mondelez's portfolio reads like a hall of fame of global snack brands: Oreo (the world's best-selling cookie), Cadbury and Milka (chocolate), Toblerone, Ritz (crackers), belVita (biscuits), Trident (gum), and dozens of strong local brands across more than 150 countries. Approximately 75% of revenue comes from international markets, giving Mondelez significant exposure to faster-growing emerging market consumers. Van de Put's strategic focus has been on "snacking made right" — investing in brand renovation, product innovation (particularly in premium and better-for-you segments), and distribution expansion in emerging markets. He has pursued targeted M&A to strengthen Mondelez's position in high-growth categories, including the acquisition of Clif Bar (energy bars) and Chipita (croissants and baked snacks). Cocoa price inflation has been a significant challenge, as Mondelez is one of the world's largest chocolate producers. Van de Put's management of cocoa cost inflation, pricing execution, volume/mix improvement, and emerging market growth are the primary drivers of Mondelez's stock.