Jai Kibe Joins Chobani as CMO

Jai Kibe is the new chief marketing officer at Chobani, the brand announced on Thursday.

Kibe comes from consulting outfit Gartner, where he had been executive partner, CMO advisory. Prior to that, he held senior marketing roles at companies including Coca-Cola and SC Johnson.

Chobani set off on a strategy change last October under former global CMO Thomas Ranese. At the time, he said he wanted to disrupt stereotypes of consumer-packaged-goods advertising through tactics including data collection, retail media partnerships, and unexpected collaborations.

Ranese left his role in April, after just 8 months, and it has remained vacant since.

Kibe will report to president and chief operating officer Kevin Burns and lead the marketing and creative teams for the Chobani and La Colombe brands. In addition to driving growth, he’s focused on marketing innovations, such as strengthening the brand’s analytics and consumer insights capabilities, enhancing digital-first engagement, and creating dynamic activations and partnerships.

“Jai is known for inspiring creativity, energizing brands, and bringing a disciplined, metrics-based approach to strategy,” Burns said in a statement. “His leadership will be instrumental in driving the next phase of our growth as we work to expand awareness beyond today’s core consumer segments.”

Kibe added, “I am thrilled to be joining Chobani at an exciting moment in time, where we can blend art, science and instinct. As a brand that combines purpose with innovation, Chobani has consistently set the standard for great taste, consumer health, and wellness, while driving positive social impact.”