How Asheesh Saksena Is Accelerating Tech-Enabled Growth at General Mills
Editor's Note: This article is a part of a CGT series that digs into leadership hires a year into the new positions, to learn how roles are evolving and how fresh eyes can transform business operations.
Asheesh Saksena took on the role of chief strategy and growth officer at General Mills in 2024 at a pivotal time for the company.
Even amid macroeconomic challenges, the enterprise was zeroed in on an accelerated growth roadmap with intensified focus, he tells CGT.
About Saksena
Saksena joined from Gap, where he served as chief growth officer, managing the company’s operations, tech, growth and portfolio and diversification strategies. Before that, he was the chief growth officer for Best Buy.
"This role is crucial for coordinating our efforts to unlock enterprise operational capacity and deploy that in pursuit of accelerated growth," says Saksena.
The new role for the company was designed to address two key areas: elevating processes to increase enterprise capacity and pursuing a strategic growth journey that includes market share expansion, new category creation and the pursuit of adjacent profit centers.
As part of this, Saksena led efforts to invest in new capabilities that could transform end-to-end operations and drive increased efficiency and agility to create a more dynamic and responsive organization.
“For example, leveraging AI-based capabilities for content generation, for prescriptive business analytics and across the supply chain for added nimbleness are all elements of our ongoing transformation to operate with agility,” he says.
Also: General Mills to remove synthetic dyes from portfolios
These upgrades have allowed General Mills to pursue portfolio optimization and improve audience targeting. This includes a stronger emphasis on enhanced nutrition via offerings with increased protein and fiber, and pinpointing trends for underserved demographic segments such as the 55-plus community.
General Mills' Growth Track
Since joining, the core focus of the role has remained consistent. However, Saksena says specific priorities have gotten sharper.
"We have moved swiftly to mobilize resources and establish dedicated teams to drive both transformation and growth initiatives," he says, adding that the creation of a transformation office and a strategic growth office has enabled the company to better organize its efforts and ensure a coordinated approach to achieve its goals.
This includes pulling growth levers within existing core businesses, such as its North American retail, pet, and foodservice segments, as well as its international vectors.
"Achieving this potential will require transformational agility in our operations, enabling us to adapt quickly to changing market dynamics," he says.
An improved strategic planning process as a result of the new role helps to identify and prioritize near-term opportunities, he says, but also to assess longer-term business resilience and step-function growth.
