P&G promotes three women to top executive ranks as new CEO prepares to take over

Procter & Gamble has reshuffled its top executive ranks weeks after naming its next chief executive officer in July.

The Cincinnati-based consumer giant typically sees a wave of retirements and departures when it gets a new boss as former runner-ups move on.

The latest shifts put three or four women within range of someday succeeding Jon Moeller, who was tapped as the next CEO, starting Nov. 1. P&G, which markets most of its products to female customers, has never had a woman as CEO.

Mary Lynn Ferguson-McHugh, the head of the company's Family Care business, and Steven Bishop, its head of health care, are retiring in October and February, respectively. 

Taking their places are Fatima Francisco, the CEO of P&G's baby and feminine care, and Carolyn Tastad, the former head of North American operations.

Francisco is assuming oversight of the P&G unit that produces Charmin toilet paper and Bounty paper towels, while retaining her role over the company's other paper businesses, including Pampers diapers and Always feminine products. Her expanded duties put her in charge of the company's second-largest unit, generating 25% of total sales.

As CEO of health care, Tastad assumes control of the business unit that produces Crest toothpaste and Vicks cough syrup, which generates 12% of total sales.

Monica Turner, the former president of sales for North America, has been promoted to the head of North American operations, replacing Tastad. North America generates 47% of P&G's sales.

While Moeller was P&G's chief financial officer for 12 years, the company has traditionally selected CEOs from among executives that have run its top business units. Past CEOs have also done stints running a major geographical market like Asia or Europe for the company before getting the top job.

P&G also announced Sundar Raman, its president of Home Care, will succeed Shailesh Jejurikar, as the head of the company's Fabric & Home Care unit, which produces Tide detergent. The business unit is the company's largest, generating 34% of total sales.

Jejurikar was tapped to succeed Moeller as chief operating officer on Oct. 1.

Staying put for now as the CEOs of P&G's other major units are Alex Keith, the head of beauty, the maker of Pantene shampoo and Olay skincare, and Gary Coombe, the head of grooming, which makes Gillette razors.

Under a 2018 restructuring, P&G reorganized the company into sector units – each with a corresponding CEO in charge of them.  

While being named as the No. 2 executive at P&G would appear to give Jejurikar the inside track to nab the top job after Moeller one day, outgoing CEO David Taylor insisted in an Enquirer interview that wasn't necessarily true.

"The board has a wide range of people, the sector leaders, the COO, the market leaders to consider who has the right skills for the future... there is a broad base of senior talent," Taylor said.

Other promotions are: Maisha Webster, the senior vice president for U.S. drug (store) customers, was named the head of sales, succeeding Turner; and Eric Breissinger, the senior vice president of Family Care in North America, was named president of the global unit, reporting to Francisco.

The maker of Tide detergent and Pampers diapers employs 10,000 workers in Greater Cincinnati and 101,000 worldwide.

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