Mondelez chief executive Irene Rosenfeld, the woman blamed for shutting down Cadbury factories in the UK, has stepped down

Irene Rosenfeld, the former Kraft boss who became a figure of hate after its takeover of Cadbury’s in 2010, has stepped down from her position as chief executive of Mondelez.

In a filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission today, the company said Rosenfeld will be replaced by Dirk Van de Put, currently the president and chief executive of oven chip maker McCain Foods, at the end of March next year.

Rosenfeld became chief executive of Mondelez in 2013 when Kraft span-off its snacks arm.

Cadbury deal melts

Rosenfeld was blamed for closing a Cadbury factory at Somerdale (Source: Getty)

Rosenfeld was heavily criticised by British politicians and campaigners back in 2010, after Kraft’s £12m takeover of Cadbury. A week after the deal completed, the company announced plans to close a factory in Somerdale, near Bristol, even though it had assured the board the factory would remain open.

Rosenfeld snubbed MPs by refusing to appear before the Business, Innovation and Skills Committee to give evidence over the deal not once, but three times.

In the end, the move prompted the government to introduce new takeover rules, forcing bidders for companies to be clear about their intentions regarding job cuts.

Read more: Mondelez axes Hershey merger plan

Bright future

Today Rosenfeld said her industry had undergone a “period of unprecedented change” during her tenure as chief executive.

“During that time, we anticipated emerging challenges, adapted accordingly and created significant value for our shareholders. The outlook is bright for this great company — one of the few that has consistently delivered on both the top and bottom lines, while making critical investments for future growth.”

Read more: Hundreds of jobs may be lost as Cadbury Fingers production could be moved