Snack foods giant Mondelēz appoints MD for Southern African business

By our African Marketing Confederation News Team | 2024

Unathi Mhlatyana takes up the reins and brings 22 years of leadership experience in the fast-moving consumer goods sector.

Mondelēz International, one of the world’s largest snacks companies, recently named Unathi Mhlatyana as the Managing Director for Southern Africa.

With over 22 years of leadership experience in the FMCG sector, Mhlatyana brings substantial expertise in crafting and executing strategic initiatives to his latest position.

Unathi Mhlatyana. Photo: Mondelēz International

He joins Mondelēz after three years as Managing Director at McCain Foods and, prior to that, three years as Senior Director and General Manager for South African Snacks (Simba) at PepsiCo.

His earlier work experience includes a stint in project engineering at HJS Automotive, with specific focus on robotics programming; eight years at the Eveready/Gillette Group in process engineering, quality control and manufacturing; and 10 years at SAB/AB InBev, where he had various leadership roles in sales, marketing, distribution, general management, and projects. 

Leadership appointments that advance growth

Mhlatyana’s appointment “forms part of Mondelēz International’s drive to make strategic leadership appointments that advance growth of the snacking leader’s sub-Saharan Africa business unit”, the company says in a statement.

“He is proficient in the execution of comprehensive business plans, ensuring cost-effective operations, and promoting market-development activities to facilitate revenue generation, people development and business growth.”

Mhlatyana’s qualifications include a Btech Quality, a degree in Labour Law & Industrial Engineering, and an MBA from Nelson Mandela University.

Mondelēz operates in approximately 160 countries. Its brands include Cadbury, Halls, Oreo, Toblerone and Royal Baking Powder.

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