Past Event

Aileen Richards

10 January 2017

Aileen Richards was a senior Executive with Mars Incorporated until she retired in 2015. She is currently an Independent non-executive on several Boards, including being the first woman on the Board of the Welsh Rugby Union.

As Executive Vice President of Mars, Incorporated, Aileen Richards was responsible for the Human Resources strategy for the company’s 80,000 associates. Additionally, Aileen lead Mars Global Services (Mars IT, Mars Financial Services and Mars Associate Services). She and her family were based near Washington DC from 2008-2015.

Aileen joined Mars in 1985 and served in a variety of positions in several functions of the organisation, culminating in her appointment as global Vice President, Personnel & Organisation in 2009.  She initially joined Mars Chocolate in Slough, UK as P&O Training and Communications Manager and was promoted to positions of increasing responsibility.  In addition to P&O, her experience spans Commercial (Procurement), Manufacturing, and Logistics.  During her 14 years in Commercial, she purchased cocoa, packaging, services as well as raw materials for Western Europe’s pet care business.  In 2003 she became Vice President, Supply for Western Europe where she was responsible for the operations, production, and management of 8,500 associates who worked in 27 factories in 17 countries.  In 2004 Aileen moved to head up the P&O function in Western Europe, based in Brussels, where she gained a reputation for authentic leadership, transparent communications, values-driven decision making, long-term perspective and importantly, care for associates.  In January 2012, Aileen was named Executive Vice President of Mars.

Aileen is a graduate of Surrey University with a degree in Business & Tourism Management, and her interests range from Rugby to Opera and a lot in between!