Danone Canada names Angie Balian as senior VP of marketing

Danone Canada has appointed Angie Balian as its senior vice-president of marketing, e-commerce and digital.

She will lead the development of Danone Canada’s food and beverage categories, which include Activia, Oikos and Silk, and have a mandate to drive brand growth and enhance the online presence and sales of Danone’s portfolio.

Balian joins Danone Canada from United Natural Foods, where she was chief brands officer. Prior, she was vice-president and general manager for Weston Foods.

For four years, Balian was Coca-Cola Canada’s VP of commercial and franchise leadership.

She was also part of Coca-Cola’s Canadian executive team where, as VP of marketing, stills beverage category and portfolio strategy, she was responsible for the $250 million Hydration portfolio. She worked on Coca-Cola including Nestea, Vitaminwater, Smartwater, Powerade, Dasani, Core Power and Zico.

As senior brand manager of Coca-Cola’s sparkling flavours segment, she led strategy and annual brand, IMC and innovation plans for Sprite, Fanta, Fresca and Barqs.

Loblaw makes senior leadership move

Chad Caldwell is starting on as vice-president, national wholesale merchandising, marketing, business development and analytics at Loblaw.

For more than five years Caldwell had been in the role of senior category director of the company’s discount division, which includes No Frills and Maxi.

He also served as category director for the discount division during his 13 years at Loblaw.

Charton Hobbs promotes a marketer

Laura MacFarlane has taken the role of regional marketing manager for Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba at Calgary-based wine and spirit importer and distributor Charton Hobbs.

For two-and-a-half years, MacFarlane was sales and marketing co-ordinator for Charton Hobbs, which has a portfolio that includes Dom Pérignon, Maison Hennessy, Glenmorangie and London Dry Gin.