Mars International Travel Retail strengthens leadership team

Rekhi has spent nearly 20 years working at Mars

Mars International Travel Retail (MITR) has appointed three new members to its leadership team, based in Veghel, Netherlands.

Raghav Rekhi has joined the division as Category Director. In this role, Rekhi will lead, guide and develop the marketing team to “outstanding deployment” of the travel retail category vision and ITR strategies, both globally and locally.

Rekhi has almost 20 years of experience with Mars, having worked his way up from Regional Financial Planner back in 1999.

Before joining the travel retail team he spent five years as Marketing Director for Mars Chocolate India, leading the introduction of its brand portfolio into a strategically high priority market. This followed three years as Marketing Director for the Middle East, Turkey and Africa, overseeing a diverse multi-category portfolio across a wide geography of over 30 countries.

“Travel retail is a completely new channel for me but one which I am very excited and pleased to now be part of,” said Rekhi. “I am confident that the wide international experience I am bringing to the channel, following my many years with Mars working across different countries and product categories, will be of real benefit to the team.”

Van Ommen will lead the finance agenda of the global travel retail channel in Mars Wrigley Confectionery

Tom van Ommen has been named Chief Financial Officer. He will lead the finance agenda of the global travel retail channel in Mars Wrigley Confectionery. Van Ommen brings international perspective and thorough understanding of the wider Mars finance organisation and processes, said MITR.

Van Ommen first joined Mars Food Europe as a Finance Trainee in 2009, rapidly moving through the ranks to become Regional Finance Manager Europe and Eurasia in 2014 for the confectionery business.

Maud Geerbex has been appointed to the newly created position of Corporate Affairs Director Global Travel Retail. Having worked across various PR and communication roles, Geerbe first joined Mars Netherlands in 2011 as Corporate Affairs Director for the Dutch market, moving onto join Mars Global Food as Global Director Internal Communications and Food Academy in 2015.

Geerbex: “I look forward to getting to know the travel retail industry and addressing the opportunity for Corporate Affairs”

Geerbex is responsible for all internal and external corporate communications, public affairs, issues management and crisis management. She will work directly with appointed PR agency Essential Communications to build MITR’s share of media voice. She will also ensure the delivery of clear key messages to promote and build on its category management principles and strategies through industry events and media sponsorship, advertising and editorial campaigns.

Geerbex commented: “It’s incredibly exciting to join the Mars ITR business in this new role. I look forward to getting to know the travel retail industry and addressing the opportunity for Corporate Affairs. With the ITR team, I will work to strengthen our communications in the industry, in line with our leadership in the category.”

Rekhi, van Ommen and Geerbex all report directly to General Manager Gary Clarke.

 

 

 

 

 

Food & Beverage The Magazine eZine