Kraft Names Chambers Head of North America Gum, Candy Businesses

Kraft Names Chambers Head of North America Gum, Candy Businesses

Kraft Foods Inc. in an internal memo named a former Cadbury executive, Jim Chambers, to head its confectionery and gum businesses in North America.

Mr. Chambers was named president of confectionery and general manager for the Immediate Consumption Channel for Kraft Foods North America. Growing the newly acquired and lucrative gum business in North America and pushing its own brands into new locations in convenience stores is a key part of Kraft's strategy on the acquisition.

Mr. Chambers will oversee such Cadbury brands as Trident gum and Halls in the region, among other offerings within the newly combined company.

Kraft's integration of Cadbury involves deciding which top executives from both companies will stay on and in what roles. It is being closely watched because the company now faces the challenge of melding together two large businesses and drawing sufficient cost savings and growth to justify the $19 billion acquisition of the U.K. chocolate maker.

Mr. Chambers will report to Kraft's current president of North America, Tony Vernon.