Food and beverage giant Kraft Heinz has named Thomas Loest as its new general counsel for  EMEA. 

Loest joins Kraft Heinz from multinational personal care corporation Kimberly-Clark, where he has been chief counsel for EMEA since 2014.

Formed by the merger of Kraft Foods and Heinz, U.S.-based Kraft Heinz is one of the largest food and beverage companies in the world, with a 2018 turnover of approximately $26 billion. 

Prior to Kimberly-Clark, Loest held various in-house roles including as managing counsel and senior director of EMEA for Nike for nearly two years. 

He was also previously a partner at German law firm Gleiss Lutz from 2003 to 2007, and a senior associate at Hogan Lovells before that, based in Brussels for both firms.  

Loest was based in London for Kimberly-Clark and will continue working in the U.K. as Kraft GC. 

He will now report to Kraft Heinz global GC Rashida La Lande, and international zone president Rafael Oliveira.

Mining firm Rio Tinto also appointed a new GC, Barbara Levi Mager, this week.

Meanwhile, TransferWise GC Jenifer Swallow announced last week she would be leaving her role, leaving the position vacant.