Season 5 - Ep. 12 | Sweet Success: How Mars Blends Family, Values, and Growth with former Mars SVP & Head of Corporate Development Valerie Mars

How does a more than 100-year-old family-owned business continue to evolve and grow across generations to become one of the largest privately held companies in the world? On today’s Redefiners episode, Clarke and Marla are joined by Valerie Mars, former Senior Vice President & Head of Corporate Development for Mars, Incorporated, to talk about how the Mars family grew a small kitchen-table candy company into a $55 billion diversified global food and pet care enterprise.

Valerie talks about the family’s decision to bring in a non-family CEO, how the Five Principles and Mars Compass are used to guide decision-making and nurture a values-driven culture, and what they’re doing to develop the next generation of family leaders.

We’ll also hear from Anuradha Chawla, a leadership advisor in our Toronto office, who will explore when family enterprises should consider introducing professional management.

Valerie Mars
Former SVP & Head of Corporate Development

Valerie Mars is a leader in corporate development, governance, and sustainability. She serves on the boards of Ermenegildo Zegna NV, the Mars family office, and Conservation International, where she chairs the Audit Committee. She also contributes to the International Advisory Board of Hakluyt.

Valerie recently retired as Senior Vice President & Head of Corporate Development for Mars, Incorporated, a diversified food business operating in over 120 countries and one of the largest privately held companies in the world. In that role, she focused on acquisitions, joint ventures, and divestitures for the company.

Valerie's prior board and committee service includes the Rabobank North America Advisory Board, as well as service on the Mars, Incorporated Audit Committee and Remuneration Committee. She was elected to the board of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles and served on the Audit, Compensation, and Governance and Sustainability committees. She was also elected to the Board of Ahlstrom-Munksjo, a Finnish/Swedish listed specialty paper business, where she served on the Board and the Audit Committee. Earlier in her career, she served on the board of Celebrity Inc., a NASDAQ-listed company.

Prior to joining Mars, Incorporated, Valerie was a controller with Whitman Heffernan Rhein, a boutique investment company and began her career with Manufacturers Hanover Trust Company.

Valerie is engaged in various projects that blend her passion for social and environmental justice and sustainability. She leads teams focused on preserving natural woodlands and shoreline as spaces for communities to gather, explore, and connect with the outdoors.

Valerie holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Yale University and an MBA from Columbia Business School. She is married and has two sons.