Walmart hires new food safety compliance executive

Walmart has hired Sara Mortimore as its next vice president of global food safety, effective May 13. Mortimore will manage the responsibilities within the company’s ethics and compliance department that Frank Yiannis held before he assumed the role of deputy commissioner for food policy at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Daniel Trujillo, chief global ethics and compliance officer, made the announcement Thursday (May 2) in an internal memo.

Trujillo said Mortimore will lead Walmart’s food safety program globally and her prior experience in the food sector at Land O’ Lakes makes her a great fit for the role at Walmart.  She will report to Chris Cyrenne, senior vice president of global regulatory compliance.

At Land O” Lakes, Mortimore oversaw quality and regulatory affairs and was responsible for product safety, quality from farm to fork for human food and animal nutrition as well, according to the release.

Mortimore has over 30 years of experience covering the entire food supply chain. She has also authored a number of books on food safety. She has a master’s degree in food science from the Leicester University in the United Kingdom.

Mortimore’s hire marks at least the third major legal and compliance hire for Walmart in a week, joining Jeanine Jiganti and Kerri L. Ruttenberg.