Denise Morrison, CEO of Campbell Soup, was interviewed recently by Wall Street Journal Editor-in-Chief Gerry Baker. She talked about the changes she and her team are leading at Campbell, as well as sharing insights on the advancement of women leaders.
With consumers demanding healthier food choices, Campbell has expanded its focus to include organic foods. Denise emphasized that from a supply chain standpoint, “you have to stay ahead of trends to respond” noting the organic supply chain is very different from the traditional supply chain. Campbell’s strategic initiatives include acquisitions and innovation, and she pointed out that new directions include the areas of health and wellbeing, global biscuits, and packaged fresh foods.
In the WSJ interview, when asked about women’s leadership, Denise encouraged women to develop a personal mission statement so “you are grounded in who you are.” Then, she advises, develop a career plan because “having an end game goal is really important.” Denise believes “ability takes you so far and your relationships take you the rest of the way,” so she recommends developing a strong network. Women need to empower themselves to manage their career and work their networks so they can get the experience they need to be CEO.
As part of her efforts to develop the next generation of women leaders, she is active in a program called “Camp Campbell” taking place in different cities across the country. In addition to providing coaching for younger women, Denise said she learns from this type of interaction and uses what she learns to build the Campbell business.