Kristen_Colber-Baker_Fresh Del Monte

Fresh Del Monte has appointed Lori Tauber Marcus and Kristin Colber-Baker (pictured) to it’s board of directors, in a move it said “continues to promote diversity and inclusion across all levels of organisation.”

Marcus and Colber-Baker join fellow independent board member, chair of the Audit Committee and member of the Governance Committee, Mary Ann Cloyd, in taking the female representation on the board to 3 of 8 possible seats.

With the new additions, women now make up 38 per cent of the Fresh Del Monte’s board of directors. In comparison, women hold approximately 23 per cent of company board seats on the Russell 3000 Index, according to a 2020 Harvard Women on Boards Gender Diversity Index.

“We are pleased to welcome both Lori and Kristin to Fresh Del Monte’s growing and diverse Board of Directors,” said Mohammad Abu-Ghazaleh, chairman and chief executive of Fresh Del Monte Produce.

“Each of them holds valuable expertise and varied skills from impressive career pathways that will help strengthen our long-term vision and business goals as a leading global supplier worldwide.”

Marcus, who holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, will serve as the principal of courtyard connections, an advisory firm focused on marketing and leadership in consumer-facing sectors. She holds positions on several public, private and non-profit boards and also serves on advisory boards of early-stage companies.

She is also an executive coach to C-suite and high-potential executives. Her expertise spans from digital marketing and social media to direct-to-consumer e-commerce, with the company adding she would bring “a deep understanding of consumer trends and growing consumer-facing businesses worldwide.”

Colber-Baker holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Wheaton College and a Master of Business Administration degree from The Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia.

She is currently the global director of diversity, equity and inclusion at Mars, a family-owned business delivering a diverse and expanding portfolio of confectionery, food, and pet care products and services.

Colber-Baker brings more than 25 years of experience in global finance, including extensive turnaround and mergers and acquisitions experience, in addition to human capital and company culture expertise. She is a qualified audit committee financial expert and a seasoned talent leader.