Key Summary
- The leadership change comes amid a legal battle between Ben & Jerry's independent board and parent company Unilever over the removal of former CEO Dave Stever.
- Jochanan Senf previously served as the managing director of Ben & Jerry's Europe and has held senior roles in Unilever's foods division.
- Unilever plans to spin off its ice cream business later this year as The Magnum Ice Cream Company.
The Magnum Ice Cream Company said on Thursday it has appointed Jochanan Senf as the global chief executive officer of Ben & Jerry's, effective mid-July.
The leadership change comes as Ben & Jerry's independent board is locked in a legal fight with parent Unilever over the removal of its former CEO Dave Stever, who had been with the ice cream maker since 1988 and was appointed to the top role in May 2023.
In court filings, Ben & Jerry's said Unilever removed Stever without board approval, violating an agreement meant to protect the ice cream brand's independence and social activism.
Ben & Jerry's was founded by Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield in a renovated gas station in 1978, and kept its socially conscious mission after Unilever bought it in 2000.
Senf previously worked as the managing director of Ben & Jerry's Europe, based in the UK, and held senior roles in Unilever's foods division.
Unilever plans to spin off its ice cream business, which includes Ben & Jerry's, Magnum and Breyers, later this year as The Magnum Ice Cream Company.
The business will be incorporated and headquartered in the Netherlands, with shares listed in Amsterdam, London and New York.