Christopher Bona, Mba Email & Phone Number

Laval Cedex 9, Mayenne, Fr

Leads the Corporate Communications function for Lactalis in the United States. Responsibilities include media relations, crisis/issues management, government affairs, product communications, employee engagement and CEO/executive communications for four divisions. Responsible for building the function. Lactalis is the world's leading dairy company with approximately 85,000 employees, $26 billion in revenue and is headquartered in France. In the United States the company offers a strong, well-regarded portfolio of dairy products in the United States including Kraft® brands, Breakstone’s, Crackerbarrel, Black Diamond, Galbani®, Président®, Parmalat®, siggi’s® and Stonyfield Organic® yogurt brands. In the United States the company has approximately 3,700 employees, is present in nine states with 11 manufacturing facilities and corporate offices located in New York City and Buffalo, N.Y., Chicago, IL., Londonderry, N.H. and San Fernando, C.A.

West Lafayette, Indiana, Us

Develops and teaches graduate-level Communications courses. Courses developed and/or taught include:• Financial Communications• Crisis Communications• Integrated Marketing Communications• Global Communications

Chicago, Illinois, Us

Served as leader on the Communications team to develop, deploy and manage the company’s first global internal communications plan for employee engagement and launch an employer value proposition. Provided communications for a workforce of 3,500+ employees across three companies and two continents and provided leadership and counsel to company’s Communications teams in Latin America and Canada. Collaborated directly with the Executive Leadership Team on employee engagement and leadership communications programs. Led internal communications strategy across company’s three business units in North America and South America and supported two CEOs in role.Accomplishments• Elevated sophistication of employee communications by designing and implementing the company’s first global employee communications program with primary tenants of a message platform, content and channel management strategies, measurement and language translation.• Developed program to create, validate, and deploy global employer value proposition in partnership with Human Resources, and three regional teams.• Led communications for several internal programs and issues including COVID-19, quarterly CEO leadership calls and global town halls, CEO transition, launch of new company values, Workday and employee engagement surveys. • Crafted internal communications for CEO, CHRO and other Executive Leadership Team members.• Received company recognition award for COVID-19 employee communications leadership.

New York, New York, Us

Served as senior leader in Health practice for New York account team while remote from Chicago and oversaw media relations, client data and executive thought leadership communications for range of healthcare clients. Performed crisis/issues management work and new business for the firm. Accomplishments• Managed celebrity, unbranded national media campaign to raise awareness of cardiovascular disease among Americans. • Served as lead communications/investor relations contact for global pharmaceutical company in bankruptcy. • Crafted, placed executive thought leadership articles and blogs in industry publications. • Implemented scientific media briefings (top-tier, trade) with scientific leaders, including pitching stories.• Led CEO change communications for a healthcare client with 100+ locations and 2,500 employees. • Developed and implemented issues management program for $1B public company.• Facilitated issues management/crisis communications seminar to 50+ general counsels from U.S. healthcare companies.

Chicago, Il, Us

Developed and implemented Corporate Communications, Investor Relations and Marketing Communications functions. Worked directly with President and CEO, CFO, CHRO, business presidents, leadership team and Board members to lead all internal and external communications programs and initiatives. Led in-house and agency teams.AccomplishmentsInvestor Relations and Corporate Communications• Served as primary media/investment community contact.• Led investor communications including for company’s IPO, earnings calls, investor conferences, and roadshows.• Deployed company message platform, and led communications for acquisitions, President, and CEO.• Created global crisis communications plan and trained executives on how to communicate during crisis/emergency.• Managed internet/intranet, and launched social media channels that led share of voice compared to peer companies.• Delivered global employee communications, including executive and Human Resources communications.Marketing Communications• Co-led marketing council with President and CEO, culminating in creation of Marketing function.• Introduced tools for sales force communications, including case studies, line-cards, customer emails and video production.• Provided counsel and general support for region customer marketing.• Managed internet/intranet, and launched social media channels that led share of voice compared to peer companies.

Boston, Ma, Us

Directed global marketing and communications for $2B+ medical products business comprised of several segments (e.g., mammography, X-ray, bone densitometry, electrophysiology). Developed global strategies and executed tactics to introduce tools for sales force, including branding and messaging. Leveraged matrix region team (China, India, Latin America, China, United States and Canada) while coordinating with communications. Managed one direct report, a contractor and agencies. Accomplishments• Developed value propositions for business segments and several products, and partnered with Marketing to brand products.• Partnered with Communications for messaging media plans and issues management.• Produced internal leadership communication, including videos and presentations.Product Marketing Communications• Created iPad application, brochures, advertising, customer case studies, and testimonials to help drive sales.• Project-managed modality’s largest trade show, RSNA, to help generate high volume of leads.

Chicago, Illinois, Us

Developed and taught graduate and undergraduate Communications courses. Courses developed and taught include:• Crisis Communications• Public Relations Writing• Introduction to Public Relations• Public Speaking• Media Relations

New York, Ny, Us

Oversaw issues/crisis communications for consumer/business-to-business communications, and led client teams. Collaborated with clients from Boston Scientific, Medtronic, Bayer Healthcare, Waste Management, and Kraft. Developed recommendations for Milk industry to defend reputation, and media-trained Milk industry executives. Accomplishments• Developed recommendations for food industry client to defend reputation, media trained executives. Also wrote bylined articles and news releases, crafted issues management documents.• Provided counsel to client for an environmental issue affecting community residents in California.• Counseled head of Communications for global healthcare company’s corporate reputation plan• Conducted and presented competitive analyses for global food client.• Developed business-to-business sales presentation for global healthcare client.• Created internal management presentations for food and healthcare clients.• Crafted recommendations for global healthcare client's employee political advocacy program.

Evanston, Il, Us

Developed and taught graduate course in Stakeholder Management.

Deerfield, Illinois, Us

Led Corporate Communications for a global, $7 billion business with 10,000 employees, four business units, 20+ marketed products. As spokesperson, partnered with a matrix team of 20+ country communications staff for R&D, manufacturing/operations and product communications. Reported to head of Communications and to the business president.AccomplishmentsExternal Communications/Corporate Communications/Issues Management• Led media campaigns to promote new product launches, published papers; media trained executives; led issues communications for several issues (e.g., product tampering, animal rights, labor relations).• Worked as corporate spokesperson with media (e.g., Wall Street Journal, LA Times, Dow Jones News, Xinhua News, etc.)• Developed messaging with business president, Investor Relations, Corporate Secretary and General Counsel, Comptroller.Product Marketing Communications• Developed and led media relations for product launches and extensions, including company media presence at trade shows• Promoted business development opportunities (e.g., acquisitions, licensing, partnerships) Internal communications• Responsible for managing division intranet sites, including enforcing policies for content and structure.• Developed presentations for use with employees and other tools to align employees with the business priorities.Executive communications• Wrote communications on behalf of the division president; coordinated town hall meetings for president and supported executive leadership team.

Abbott Park, Illinois, Us

Recruited for corporate media relations/public affairs, then promoted to lead global manufacturing/operations division ($50 million sales, 10,000 employees) external/internal communications. Later transferred to U.S. commercial division ($7+ billion sales, 8,000 employees) for product communications. Managed agencies, contractors, direct reports and budgets.AccomplishmentsExternal communications/corporate communications/issues management• Led corporate media programs to enhance reputation (e.g., Fortune Most Admired, Best Places to Work, etc.); worked with international news media as corporate spokesperson. • Managed communications for issues/threats to business continuity, including plant explosions and fatalities.• Media trained 50+ operations employees in several countries spanning three continents.Product Marketing Communications• Led pharmaceutical product media relations activities for conferences, sales force, product extensions/launches. Internal and Executive Communications • Led communications for reductions in workforce, formation of a new division, employee communications.• Primary communications contact for senior staff, including division President.

Master Of Business Administration (Mba), Business

Master Of Arts (Ma), Sociology

Bachelor Of Arts (Ba), Communications