Pinnacle Foods Inc. has announced the appointment of Michael S. Levitt to the newly created role of Senior Vice President Corporate Development, effective October 31.
Levitt will report to Craig Steeneck, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, and will partner with Steeneck and Pinnacle CEO Mark Clouse in developing and assessing M&A opportunities that support the Company’s strategic plan.
Levitt, 47, co-founded LG Capital Management, LP, a private investment fund that invested in publicly traded securities, and served as its Portfolio Manager since the fund’s 2011 inception. Prior to LG Capital Management, he worked as a Research Analyst at Chesapeake Partners and as Director in the M&A and Corporate Advisory Group at Deutsche Bank Securities, Inc. Earlier in his career, Levitt was a practicing attorney specializing in M&A work at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison.
Levitt holds a Juris Doctor with Honors from George Washington University and a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from the University of Pennsylvania.
Commenting on the appointment, Steeneck stated, “We are excited to welcome Michael to Pinnacle in this important leadership role. His well-rounded experiences in law, banking and investment management and research will be an asset to Pinnacle and position him as a strong partner to the executive team in implementing the Company’s strategic business development plan.”
Source: Pinnacle Foods
Cécile Béliot has assumed the role of Bel Group chief executive officer, following the decision to separate the roles of chairman and CEO. The separation of the functions will enable Bel Group to develop in three areas of healthy snacking. Meanwhile, the company’s former CEO, Antoine Fiévet, has had his mandate renewed as chairman of the board.
US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Dr. Robert Califf was grilled by lawmakers during a House Appropriations subcommittee hearing, where he was slammed over the agency’s handling of the escalating infant formula shortage.
Sweegen is ramping up its efforts to reduce sugar across F&B applications while simultaneously tapping into the benefits of using antioxidants and bitter blocking technology. Speaking to FoodIngredientsFirst, Casey McCormick, vice president of global innovation at Sweegen, says product developers can find a broad range of solutions in Sweegen’s nature-based sweetener systems as brands elevate better-for-you foods.