Tyson Foods Inc. named Johanna Söderström as Executive Vice President & Chief Human Resources Officer, effective July 6, 2020. Söderström will report to Chief Executive Officer Noel White and will lead all aspects of the company’s global people strategy to enable its overall growth, innovation and transformation agenda. Söderström also will focus on continuing to build the company’s culture, talent and capabilities for the future.  She succeeds Mary Oleksiuk, who is retiring after a 35-year career. 

Söderström, who will join the Enterprise Leadership Team at Tyson Foods, brings more than two decades of experience in global people solutions, employee engagement and talent development to her new role. She most recently served as Senior Vice President, Chief Human Resources Officer at The Dow Chemical Company and oversaw the company’s cultural and organizational transformation through the DowDuPont merger and spin-off. She previously led global compensation and benefits at Huhtamaki, a global sustainable food packaging company. Söderström started her career in Finland at Ericsson and has also held HR roles in Germany and Switzerland. She holds a Masters in Economics from the Hanken School of Economics in Helsinki, Finland, as well as the Society for Human Resource Management Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP) credential. She is a member of the board of Neste, the world’s largest producer of renewable diesel and jet fuel from waste and residues.

“Johanna has built her career on helping companies drive growth by fostering strong cultures where employees feel heard, valued and inspired,” White said. “Our team members are the backbone of our company and Johanna’s vision and expertise will be invaluable as we continue to provide them with a positive employee experience in a safe, supportive environment.”

White continued, “We are grateful for Mary’s leadership, first at Hillshire Brands and since 2014 with Tyson Foods. Her innovative approach to team member engagement has enhanced our company in indelible ways and we wish her the very best as she embarks on her well-earned retirement.”

“I’m excited to join Tyson Foods to build on the company's ongoing success driving excellence across its business,” said Söderström.  “I look forward to working with Tyson’s exceptional team to strengthen its stellar culture, while developing talent and engaging team members to help the company reach new heights.”

Source: Tyson Foods