Matthew McCarthy

Ben & Jerry’s got a new Chief Executive and a new chair of its independent Board of Directors this summer.  Unilever veteran Matthew McCarthy succeeded Jostein Solheim as CEO in August, and Anuradha Mittal took over from Jeff Furman as chair of the board.

McCarthy is the former vice president of Unilever Food North America.  Solheim, who arrived at Ben & Jerry’s in 2010, moves up to become Unilever North America’s Executive VP of Foods and Refreshments.

anuradha-mittal

Anuradha Mittal

Mittal, who has been on the board of Ben & Jerry’s since 2007, is Executive Director of The Oakland Institute, a highly-regarded progressive think tank that focuses on global trade and the rights of small farmers in developing countries.  Jeff Furman has retired, although he will maintain a consulting relationship with the company.

“We are delighted to welcome Matthew, who brings a wealth of commercial experience, along with rock-solid values and a courageous vision for the role businesses can and should play in the world,” said Mittal in the press release announcing McCarthy’s position.  “We look forward to working with him and to continuing our mission as a social justice company which just happens to make pretty good ice cream.”