LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Brown-Forman Corp. announces today a leadership change in its chief financial officer (CFO) role. Jane Morreau, executive vice president, chief financial officer, will be leaving Brown-Forman after a nearly three-decade career at the company on July 1. Leanne Cunningham, senior vice president, shareholder relations officer, global commercial finance and financial planning and analysis, has been appointed chief financial officer, to succeed Morreau on July 2.
Morreau joined Brown-Forman in 1991 and ascended through the finance ranks in planning and analytics, corporate financial reporting, capital management, and commercial finance, eventually becoming the company’s first female controller and chief accounting officer (CAO). In 2008, she became a member of the executive leadership team and, in addition to her role as CAO, also assumed responsibility for global production finance, brands and commercial finance, and information technology (IT).
In 2013, Morreau assumed the role of chief production officer (CPO) and head of information technology before being promoted to chief financial officer a year later. As CFO, Morreau has spearheaded innovative capital investment strategies, resource allocation models, business transformation efforts, and implemented analytic tools and technologies that have been instrumental to achieving the company’s corporate ambitions.
Cunningham has served Brown-Forman for more than 25 years in a variety of roles. Currently, she is responsible for the strategy, direction, and oversight of financial forecasting and reporting across the global business, and for cultivating relationships with the investment community, to include the company’s largest group of shareholders, the Brown family. She spent many years in global production operations. Cunningham held roles as director of finance and chief of staff/director of business development for global production, as well as roles in corporate strategy, accounting and commercial finance functions.
“Leanne brings a diverse set of experiences to the role of chief financial officer, having spent time in the core of our business — production — as well as guiding our important long-term strategic decisions through her leadership in multiple finance roles,” said Whiting. “In addition, Leanne is a proven leader with (more) relationships in the investment community and with our long-term shareholders. I look forward to working with her in this critical role and as part of Brown-Forman’s executive leadership team.”
For over 150 years, Brown-Forman Corp. has built fine quality beverage alcohol brands, including Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey, Jack Daniel’s Tennessee RTDs, Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Honey, Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Apple, Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Fire, Gentleman Jack, Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel, Finlandia, Korbel, el Jimador, Woodford Reserve, Old Forester, Coopers’ Craft, Herradura, New Mix, SonomaCutrer, Chambord, Benriach, GlenDronach, Glenglassaugh, Slane, and Fords Gin.
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