Conagra Brands has appointed John Brase as president and chief executive officer, effective 1 June 2026, succeeding Sean Connolly who steps down after more than a decade leading the company.
Brase joins from The J.M. Smucker Co., where he served as president and chief operating officer, overseeing US retail, international and away-from-home businesses alongside sales, operations and supply chain functions.
Prior to that, he spent approximately 30 years at Procter & Gamble, latterly as senior vice president and general manager of its $6 billion North America Family Care business, with responsibility for brands including Charmin, Bounty and Pampers.
Richard Lenny, independent chair of Conagra's board, said Brase's track record of driving brand performance across multiple consumer packaged goods categories made him the right choice to lead the company forward.
Brase said he looked forward to accelerating Conagra's revenue growth, strengthening margins and generating cash flow to unlock the full potential of its brand portfolio. He will also join the company's board of directors.
Connolly, who became chief executive eleven years ago, oversaw Conagra's evolution into a pure-play branded food platform with scale in frozen and snacks.
He will step away from his leadership role and from the board on 31 May 2026.
Conagra Brands names John Brase as president and chief executive
