Samir Behl Vice President; President, Asia Pacific

Samir Behl has direct operating responsibility for all of General Mills’ international brands and businesses in the Asia Pacific region.  He is also a member of the board of directors of Haagen-Dazs Japan, General Mills’ joint venture with Suntory.

Previously, as vice president of International Marketing, he was responsible for developing the marketing strategies of the company’s global brands in International markets. He led the integration of General Mills brands such as Nature Valley granola, Fruit Trix, and the innovation strategy for the Wanchai Ferry brand to go beyond Greater China.

Behl joined General Mills in September 1995 as president of Godrej Pillsbury, India. He was elected vice president and an officer of The Pillsbury Company in May 1999, and was made regional vice president of the Asia business in 2007. He was promoted to president of the Asia Pacific region in June 2009 by taking on additional responsibilities for Australasia.

Prior to joining General Mills, Behl spent three years at Kellogg Australia and India, serving as director of Marketing and Sales. Before that, he worked for Unilever for 11 years in different Marketing and Sales positions, including four years with Unilever North America in New York city.

Behl is a 1979 graduate of Indian Institute of Technology, New Delhi, with a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering. In 1981 he completed an MBA at Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad, with a major in consumer marketing.