Sara Lee Corp. names chief innovation officer for Hillshire Brands Co.

Sara Lee Corp. (NYSE: SLE) today announced that Sally Grimes, 41, will become chief innovation officer of Hillshire Brands Company (Sara Lee’s North American business) after the spin-off of its International Coffee and Tea business.  Grimes will have responsibility for the company’s innovation process, including identifying strategies, business opportunities and new technologies and then developing new capabilities with partners, new business models and new industry structures to serve those opportunities.  She will join Hillshire Brands on July 9, 2012.  Grimes will report to Sean Connolly, chief executive officer, Hillshire Brands Company.

“Hillshire Brands will be the most innovative meat-centric food company in the U.S.,” said Connolly. “Sally’s ingenuity and creativity as well as her ability to steward enterprise-wide recognition of new ideas and trends make her a welcome addition to Hillshire Brands and our leadership team.”