John P Bilbrey

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer The Hershey Company

J. P. Bilbrey is Chairman and Chief Executive Officer for The Hershey Company, the largest producer of quality chocolate in North America and a global leader in chocolate and sugar confectionery. Bilbrey has more than 30 years of consumer packaged goods experience and has been instrumental in the growth of some of the world’s largest and best-known brands. He has worked in more than 50 countries in North America, Latin America, North Africa and Asia.

Prior to his current position, Bilbrey was Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer. In this position, he was responsible for Hershey’s day-to-day operations and global commercial activities,
leading the company’s supply chain as well as geographic regions, including the U.S.; the Americas, which includes Canada, Mexico, and Brazil; and Asia, which includes the Middle East and Africa. He also led two global strategic business units (SBUs) – Chocolate and Sweets and Refreshment.

Bilbrey has also held the positions of Senior Vice President, President Hershey International, and Senior Vice President, President Hershey North America.

Bilbrey joined The Hershey Company in 2003 from Mission Foods, where he served as Senior Vice President. Before joining Mission Foods, he was President and Chief Executive Officer, Danone Waters of North America, Inc., a division of Groupe Danone, Paris, France. In this position, he was responsible for all operations of Groupe Danone’s North American water division.

Additionally, he spent 22 years at The Procter & Gamble Company where he began his career as a Sales Representative. He served in positions of increasing responsibility in both the U.S. business as well as international assignments. He has broad international experience and has lived and worked in the Middle East, North Africa and Asia.

Bilbrey serves on the Board of Directors of McCormick & Company (MKC) as well as the Grocery Manufacturers Association Board of Directors, GMA Health & Wellness Committee and the Executive
Committee of the Board of Directors for SIFE (Students in Free Enterprise).

Bilbrey has also served as a past member of the Business Advisory Council of the College of Business Administration at Kansas State University, the Industry Affairs Council of the Grocery Manufacturers Association and on the Board of Directors of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund. He received a bachelor’s of science degree in psychology from Kansas State University.