Former Kellogg’s exec joins Jana’s Whole Foods director slate

Former Kellogg Co. exec Celeste Clark has joined a slate of nominees for Whole Foods Markets’ board of directors assembled by activist investor Jana Partners, Jana said in a public filing.

Clark, who recently retired as Kellogg’s SVP of global public policy and external affairs and chief sustainability officer, has joined former Harris Teeter CEO Tad Dickson, former Barclays analyst Meredith Adler and former Gap Inc. CEO Glenn Murphy in signing a nominee agreement with Jana. That slate would stand for election as directors of Whole Foods in connection with a proxy solicitation, which may be conducted by Jana for Whole Foods’ 2018 annual meeting of stockholders.

Jana and several of its director nominees revealed they had become Whole Foods’ largest independent shareholder earlier this year and advocated for a slate of changes at the Austin, Texas-based natural foods retailer. Whole Foods subsequently refreshed its board with five new members (see the Whole Foods’ infographic, below) and a new chair earlier this month.