CHICAGO — Wrigley communications chief Andy Pharoah has been appointed to the top corporate communications role at parent company Mars, following the departure of David Kamenetzky.

Kamenetzky, who was VP of corporate strategy and strategic initiatives, has left the company to start his own independent business, investing in small and medium sized high-growth businesses in food, beverages and ingredients.

Pharoah's transition into the Mars role took place during the summer. He brings plenty of relevant experience to the role, having joined subsidiary Wrigley's corporate affairs team in Munich in 2008, before leading Wrigley's global corporate affairs from Chicago since 2009.

Over the last four years, Pharoah has expanded his duties to include sustainability and strategy. Prior to joining Wrigley, he served as a senior executive at H+K Strategies.

“Andy’s experience and expertise, his strength in developing talent and his business acumen will serve him well, and he is already a great addition to the Mars leadership team,” said Grant F. Reid, CEO and office of the president for Mars.

"He has built a high-performing corporate affairs team at Wrigley while driving broader initiatives across Mars, particularly within our sustainability and health and wellbeing agendas. Andy is a well-respected collaborator and leader among his peers. We are proud to have such a great talent to step into this vital role."