The Hershey Co. announced Leslie M. Turner has been named senior vice president, general counsel and secretary, effective July 9.
In her new role, Turner will lead Hershey’s legal, government relations, corporate security and corporate secretary functions. She will report to John P. Bilbrey, president and chief executive officer. She also will serve as a member of the company’s global leadership team.
“Leslie has significant experience working closely with corporate governance matters and brings a broad business orientation and diverse global background to this role,” said Bilbrey, in a prepared statement. “She has a proven record partnering with leaders and business units to drive strong results, and she is adept at aligning legal strategy with strategic objectives and building collaborative, business-focused legal teams.”
Turner joins Hershey with 25 years of legal experience. She has served as a senior legal executive providing strategic counsel, risk management and policy advice to senior business leaders of Fortune 100 and 500 companies. Most recently, Turner served as chief legal officer, Coca-Cola North America (CCNA), a position she’s held since 2008. In this position, she was responsible for leading the protection of Coca-Cola’s brands, reputation, resources and people by promoting governance in all company-related decision making. She also supported the strategic direction of the North America business unit and its growth initiatives by providing strategic advice, risk management and counsel to CCNA’s president, leadership team and other cross-functional business units. At Coca-Cola, Turner also led efforts to increase capability and build a diverse talent pipeline within the legal function.
“I am excited to join Hershey and look forward to the opportunity to support some of the world’s best-known and beloved brands,” Turner said. “Hershey has a long record of ethical leadership and a strong company reputation, reflecting more than a century of doing well by doing good in the communities where the company operates its businesses. I look forward to being part of the team that will continue to drive Hershey’s long-term global success.”
Prior to Coca-Cola North America, Turner served as associate general counsel for Coca-Cola’s Bottling Investments Group. She previously was a partner in the Washington, D.C. office of Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld, LLP. Earlier in her career, she served in significant roles in government, including the assistant secretary for the Office of Territorial and International Affairs, U.S. Department of the Interior and later as counselor to then-Secretary Bruce Babbitt and director of the Office of Intergovernmental Affairs, U.S. Department of the Interior.
Turner is a member of the board of directors, Georgia Appleseed; the board of visitors, Georgetown University Law Center; and a trustee, Washington lawyers’ committee for civil rights and urban affairs. She received a bachelor of science from New York University, a J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center and a master of laws in law and government from American University, Washington College of Law.
