Sam Rovit, an executive vice president with Kraft Foods (KRFT.DL), has been named president of the company's Oscar Mayer unit, effective immediately, the company announced [link opens in PDF] today.
He replaces Nick Meriggioli, a 26-year veteran of the parent company who spent the past seven years in Madison, Wis., as executive vice president and president of Oscar Mayer. Meriggioli will officially leave the company early next year, the company said.
Rovit joined Kraft in 2011 as its head of strategy, and was instrumental in last year's splitting of the company into two, separate entities, according to Kraft's statement.
Prior to joining Kraft, Rovit spent 20 years with management consulting firm Bain & Company, where he left as a senior partner after leading areas including global mergers and acquisitions, corporate renewal and turnarounds, and agribusiness. Rovit has served as president and CEO of Swift & Co., a beef and pork processor.
Commenting on the appointment of Rovit as EVP and Oscar Mayer president, Kraft CEO Tony Vernon said in the press release that [Rovit] is a "transformational thinker who has a unique ability to look at every aspect of the business, ask the hard questions and bring something new to the table."
