Avon executive heads to Kraft Foods

NORTHFIELD, Ill. — Kim Rucker will become EVP corporate and legal affairs at Kraft Foods North America, the company announced Thursday.

Rucker — who most recently served as SVP, general counsel, corporate secretary and chief compliance officer at Avon — will be responsible for leading the legal, corporate governance and corporate affairs functions for Kraft Foods. Later this year, Rucker will become EVP corporate and legal affairs, general counsel and corporate secretary. Officially stepping into her new role in late August, she will report to North America president and future CEO Tony Vernon.

"Kim's extensive experience providing strong strategic and legal counsel to boards of directors, CEOs and executive teams of large public companies will be invaluable as we become a standalone entity," Vernon said. "Her broad and deep background in law and corporate governance, plus her knowledge of the CPG sector, make her an important asset to our team. I look forward to working closely with Kim as we become a world-class public company and North America's favorite food and beverage business."

Since 2008, Rucker has led Avon's global legal operation, including corporate governance, compliance, litigation, government affairs and intellectual property. Prior to joining Avon, she was SVP, corporate secretary and chief governance officer for Energy Future Holdings, formerly TXU Corp. Previously, Rucker was corporate counsel for Kimberly-Clark and a partner in the corporate and securities group at Sidley Austin in Chicago.