Former Alberto Culver finance chief heads to Cigna

PHILADELPHIA and BLOOMFIELD, Conn. — Global health services company Cigna has hired former Alberto Culver executive Ralph Nicoletti to serve as EVP and CFO, effective June 20.

Nicoletti assumes executive leadership responsibility for all of Cigna's financial operations and functions, as well as for Cigna's investment management and strategic planning units. He will be based in Bloomfield, Conn.

Most recently, Nicoletti served as EVP and CFO of Chicago-based Alberto Culver, a manufacturer and marketer of personal care and household brands that recently was acquired by Unilever Group. He began his career in 1979 with General Foods, which was acquired by Altria and later combined with Kraft Foods, where he held a number of accounting, finance and auditing roles of increasing responsibility, attaining the position of SVP corporate audit in March 2006. In February 2007, he became SVP and CFO of Alberto Culver and then was promoted to EVP in August 2009.

Nicoletti will succeed Thomas McCarthy, who was named acting CFO in September 2010. McCarthy will assume the position of VP finance.