Mars Wrigley’s Global Emerging Markets President Gabriel Fernández talks to Eamonn Duff about advancing talent, innovation and growth in today’s rapidly-evolving international economies
Was the young Gabriel Fernández always destined for a career in consumer goods or was there an alternate plan?
When I was growing up in Mexico, my passions were engineering and sports, especially tennis and soccer, or football as you might refer to it. Whilst I did play soccer semi-professionally for a short while, I’m not sure that I was ever destined to make it into a career! Although I studied engineering at university, I started my career in finance and this is what led me to the FMCG sector.
The journey from working in a number of finance roles to now becoming President of Global Emerging Markets (GEM) has been a very enriching, and sometimes challenging, one. Moving from my native Latin America to Europe and then to the US has, at times, involved some fairly big personal gambles which fortunately for me have paid off. I am grateful for my manufacturing background though, as one of the things I think is so interesting about the FMCG market, especially in GEM where the category is developing so quickly, is how you link local manufacturing capability with changing consumer trends and tastes to create products that retailers want to sell and consumers want to buy.
You’re a Mars veteran of almost 20 years. How would you sum up the confectionery/treats & snacks industry in that time?
There has been such an enormous change it’s hard to know where to start, and so much of that change is very localised to specific markets and their unique characters. As it relates to GEM, I think the major change that we are seeing at a macro level is the development of the economies and the consumers we serve. It’s incredibly exciting to be part of a business which is working in markets like India, Brazil, Saudi Arabia, Vietnam, Australia or my native Mexico, because of how these places are changing and how we are being forced to change with them. We are witnessing rapid economic growth and the urbanisation that comes with that. We are also seeing a growing segment of aspirational customers that want to buy iconic local brands for themselves and to share with their friends and families. And we are seeing a new wave of digitalisation as these markets skip ahead of many developed economies with their adoption of digital commerce and social selling.
These factors have forced us to do business differently in a number of ways, which started with the formalisation of the GEM division within Mars to really focus our intent and thinking around the unique needs and challenges of this market. One of the key factors is improving our distribution so that we are reaching consumers whilst also offering product formats that respond to local norms and habits – for example, there is a much stronger culture of sharing snacks in many emerging markets, so we need to adapt the format and size of our packs whilst also ensuring they are affordable for the GEM consumer.
The other change on the consumer front has been responding to local tastes and flavours. There is no getting away from the fact that we have some of the most iconic and most loved brands in the world, but we also understand there are local tastes too. So for example, in Mexico we have a brand called Swinkles that sells spicy candy, or in India you can get a Pistachio flavoured Snickers.
On digitalisation, one of the major challenges is ensuring our local network of retailers, many of whom are small mom and pop style shops, are not left behind in this digital wave and have the knowledge and the systems to be part of this ecosystem and help further expand our reach with consumers who want our products.
What is both incredible and exciting is that, although the last 20 years have seen enormous change, the next 20 promise so much more. One of the best things about working in GEM is seeing the rapid change that people around the world are driving and being a part of supporting that growth through new jobs, social initiatives and the move to a sustainable economy.
Your career resume exhibits a strong affinity to GEM economies. From where does this passion flow?
My Mexican heritage, undoubtedly. I possess a lot of pride about the place that raised me, and from this comes a drive to be part of the success of these emerging markets. I would also love to help nurture the brilliant talent we have across the different regions we work in and for them to be able to access the same opportunities around the world that I have.
It is, frankly, also very difficult not to feel highly energised and engaged with the opportunity that we have in GEM. These are some of the most exciting and dynamic markets in the world, many of which will or have become global economic powerhouses. The brilliant thing about GEM is that, being not as developed as some other regions or markets that Mars operates in, we can be more innovative and move much faster. That means we can have a discussion with a wholesale partner about trends they are seeing in a market and very quickly innovate and come up with new products, formats or pack sizes that respond to this. This ability to innovate and the fact that we are looking at the success of GEM not in terms of months or a few years but decades is what is so exciting, as we have a great opportunity to build an incredible legacy and become one of the great success stories of the overall Mars organisation.
Between 2016 and 2024, you served as General Manager of Mars Wrigley Mexico. Can you tell us more?
I had the opportunity to lead several transformational projects for the business. I knew it was important to focus on expanding the market presence through acquisitions and innovative product launches, as well as significantly increasing our market share. For example, I led the successful integration of the Mexican chocolate brand Turin into the Mars Wrigley portfolio and the company’s Caribbean and Central American markets.
However, social elements were also incredibly important to me and close to my heart. My management period in Mexico bestowed upon me the opportunity to take a good look and reflect about where we were at as a business in terms of gender equality, and what we wanted to become for the future. We wanted to be better and provide equal opportunity for everyone. Therefore, we needed a thought-out strategy to address the gender imbalance we were seeing, and during that period of time we worked intently on putting interventions in place. We developed future talent more intentionally, and reviewed our progress regularly, in order to ensure progress was definitely being made. We were able to grow female representation from 10 to 40 percent throughout my tenure as General Manager in Mexico which I consider one of my greatest achievements to this day. We should be clear, this is not about diversity for diversity’s sake. We saw real business benefits from investing in people, improving their skills and creating more buy-in into the business. This notion of mutuality is something that is really important to us at Mars Wrigley, and is fundamental to our continued success across GEM and around the world.
I also helped to transform the business by prioritising sustainability. This was done by balancing market expansion with social and environmental stewardship. Overall, my team and I were able to build a more resilient and future-ready organisation.
Changing the culture of any organisation is a hugely challenging task. What were some of the key hurdles you faced while striving to create a more gender diverse work environment?
Changing culture is not something that comes without hard work and determination. Overcoming cultural norms and biases, recruiting and retaining female talent whilst managing a region and balancing workload were some major hurdles for me. However, with a great team by my side we were able to change the company for the better.
Resistance to change must always be mitigated to ensure the success of fostering diverse environments. Not only is it morally important, it is widely known that diversity also brings key business benefits to any organisation. Ensuring policy implementation with the support of dedicated employee DEI councils and resource groups has been crucial in fostering the gender-diverse work culture we see at Mars today.
I know the cultural challenges to be addressed and how much Mars walks the talk on diversity and talent development at all levels. Many companies have several people amongst their global teams that come from emerging markets, so to be able to create an environment in GEM that will put people on a pathway to be part of the global Mars organisation would be a great legacy.
In your new role, you’ll be advancing inclusion and diversity efforts across 140+ markets within the GEM cluster. How important is it that leadership teams and associate representation should reflect the race and ethnicities within those places Mars operates?
We talk about GEM being the jewel of Mars Wrigley not just because of the dynamic markets that it represents but also because the people that make up our GEM business will be the future of the company. Investing in that amazing talent, making sure there are opportunities to develop and live and work in different markets, and helping to ready them for senior roles is one way in which we can win as a business – and we have a fantastic track record of doing so.
It is absolutely imperative that leadership teams and Associate representation should reflect the races and ethnicities of the communities in which Mars operates. Diverse leadership fosters innovation, better decision-making and deeper customer connections. It also ensures that varying perspectives are considered, enhancing cultural competence and responsiveness to local needs.
Our commitment to creating an inclusive environment where all employees feel valued is unfaltering and the alignment with our workforce and customers not only drives business success but strengthens our role as a responsible global company. By championing diversity and inclusion across all aspects of our operations, we uphold our commitment to making a positive impact on society and contributing to a more equitable and sustainable world.
As GEM lead, you’ll be unifying Mars businesses across Asia, Australia, LATAM, the Middle East and Africa. Are there any countries in particular that will be a prime focus early on in the role (and if so, why)?
Currently, I’m conducting a listening tour and engaging with stakeholders across various emerging markets in the GEM cluster to comprehensively grasp their business needs. Throughout the initial months of my tenure, my main objective is to understand the unique business landscapes in each country. This involves conducting thorough assessments and collaborating closely with local teams. While no specific countries are prioritised for immediate focus, the overarching goal is to establish a robust understanding across the entire region first. This approach guarantees that our strategies are customised to address the specific requirements and goals of each market.
Sustainability is at the forefront of every brand’s thoughts as we progress towards a greener future. How is Mars accelerating those efforts in GEM economies?
Sustainability is a fundamental way of doing business today and our 2030 ambition to slash emissions across our entire business by half is well and truly underway. It is particularly important in GEM regions to provide support and there are a number of world-leading sustainability initiatives, in those countries, that we are very proud of. In Egypt, for example, where we have one of the largest Mars factories in the world, we have developed innovative water recycling, treatment and storage processes that have reduced the amount of water needed to produce a Twix or Mars bar by 20 percent. We have also done a lot of work on renewable energy, with all of our operations in Mexico powered by renewable electricity, and our factory in Pune being the first in Mars to trial an electric peanut fryer for our Snickers bars, laying the path for electrification and reducing the reliance on fossil fuels. GEM is also responsible for pioneering innovations such as recyclable paper packaging, which was developed in Australia and has now been adopted in the UK and across parts of Africa. Initiatives such as the recently launched $47 million Moo’ving Dairy Forward strategy are also tackling sustainability in our supply chain, cutting emissions from dairy farming and creating solutions that can be applied across the industry.
As well as our ongoing sustainability endeavours, we do a lot of work supporting vulnerable and minority groups across GEM too. In Latin America, for example, we have programmes that create a culture of understanding and acceptance around disability, so that people don’t feel they have to hide it at work and feel a sense of not only equality, but equity, in the workplace. With our Dove/Galaxy brand, we have set ourselves the goal to help one million people thrive by 2030. The programme is helping women across emerging markets to feel empowered through initiatives such as our Village Savings and Loans Associations which, in partnership with CARE, provides them with the funding and support to start and run their own businesses and give themselves financial security.
