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Andrew Clarke at the M&M's color wall.
Clarke at the M&M's color wall.

Mars Snacking

  • Andrew Clarke is the global president of Mars Snacking. His day starts at 5:30 a.m. and ends at 10:30 p.m.
  • Clarke gets over 200 emails a day and spends his time meeting with his reverse mentor as well as with Mars' gum scientists.
  • A big sports fan, Clarke ends the day watching his twin boys play soccer and the Chicago Bulls on TV.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Andrew Clarke, the global president of Mars Snacking, about his daily routine in the Greater Chicago area. It has been edited for length and clarity.

My day starts just after 5:30 a.m. with a bowl of cereal, a banana, and a cup of tea.

I check my emails and find many from our Asia-Pacific and European markets. I also dedicate some time thinking through how to address my team on some upcoming people changes. Getting the tone right is really important, so it's always worth preparing properly for.

After contemplating a second cup of tea, I say goodbye to my still very sleepy family and head out the door for work
Andrew Clarke's way to work.
Clarke's route to work.

Mars Snacking

I decide to walk the two miles to Goose Island, the home of Mars Snacking.

I like to walk when I can, particularly on days when I know I won’t be able to get a run in
Andrew walks over a bridge to the office.
Clarke walks over a bridge to the office.

Mars Snacking

I have half an eye on the Chicago Marathon, and I'm challenging myself to run three or four times a week.

Today I used my fresh-air commuting time to connect with Larry, the president of our China Region, and his CMO to review business performance and check in on how the launch of our new chewing gum brand, Respawn, is going.

Our corporate HQ is also our global innovation hub — think 'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory' without the chaos
Andrew Clarke enters the Mars Snacking office.
Clarke enters the Mars office.

Mars Snacking

We'll soon be expanding, and as I walk up to reception, I'm greeted by our new $50 million chocolate Pilot Plant. It'll be up and running in a few months and will be where the next generation of snacking is created.

My first order of business is to seek that second cup of tea
Andrew Clarke drinks tea at the office.
Clarke drinking tea and chatting with an employee in the office.

Mars Snacking

We've just opened our new M&M's Café on site, so my search doesn't take long.

This morning is our quarterly Top 100 leadership meeting
Andrew at the quarterly Top 100 leadership meeting.
Clarke at the quarterly Top 100 leadership meeting.

Mars Snacking

It's a chance for our most senior associates around the globe to get together and co-create. Today we're tackling digitization, both in terms of our immediate needs and looking ahead to the future.

Because we're custodians of Mars Snacking, and it's our job to think in generations, not financial quarters, we set in motion plans that won't come to fruition until long after I've retired — hopefully watching cricket somewhere sunny.

The session ends, and I'm feeling energized. I shared some insights from a recent learning around the future of AI, and I spent a few moments debriefing with my leadership team before getting on with my day.

I get over 200 emails every day
Andrew Clake is on a call in the office.
Clarke on a call in his office.

Mars Snacking

I scan regularly for anything urgent, but I prefer to connect with people 1-on-1 over a quick call if I can — I think it's more empowering and engaging.

I’m a big believer in the power of reverse mentorship, and I use my time over lunch to connect with my reverse mentor
Andrew connects with his reverse mentor over lunch.
Clarke connects with his reverse mentor over lunch.

Mars Snacking

I use my time before lunch to have a 1-on-1 with Tiana, our bars Portfolio VP, to talk about the upcoming rollout of Snickers Protein.

Hearing Tiana's unique perspective on an important emerging market for our business and learning more about how she thinks we can improve always gives me a lot to reflect on.

Today calls for a treat, so I head over to our M&M’s color wall
Andrew Clarke at the M&M's color wall.
Clarke at the M&M's color wall.

Mars Snacking

I pick up a cup of my favorite M&M's.

Halloween is one of our biggest seasons as a business, so it’s a celebration we take very seriously at the office.
Associates join the annual 'Boo-Bash' and bring their families to the office for an afternoon of games and trick-or-treating.
Mars employees and their families at the company's annual 'Boo-Bash.'

Mars Snacking

Today is our annual 'Boo-Bash.' Associates bring their families to the office for an afternoon of games and trick-or-treating.

This year I dressed up as Thor
Andrew Clarke dressed up as Thor for the annual 'Boo-Bash.'
Clarke dressed up as Thor.

Mars Snacking

The '"Boo-Bash" is a highlight of my year and it's great to see everyone having a fantastic time.

I spend the rest of my day checking in with some of our gum scientists
Andrew checks in with gum scientists.
Clarke meeting with Mars' gum scientists.

Mars Snacking

We agreed on some additional investment around some pretty innovative work we're doing on chewing gum and infusing active ingredients, like B vitamins, which I think will be a real game changer for the category.

The R&D session is over and it’s nearly time to head home
Andrew Clarke at the office.
Clarke in the Mars office.

Mars Snacking

The last order of business for me today is to sit down with one of our top dairy suppliers to talk about our shared climate ambitions. It was a great session and I finished the working day on a high.

I get home and immediately head straight back out because tonight is soccer night with our twin boys

The entire family goes to watch what turned out to be a well-earned score draw.

We're sports mad in my house, so after a family dinner of spaghetti Bolognese and negotiations around homework deadlines with the kids, we watch the Bulls game on the TV

As every sports fan will identify with, I'm still in the blissful 'this-could-be-the-year' mindset.

The dishwasher is loaded, the house is put to bed, and I take a few moments to catch up with the news before lights out at 10:30 p.m.

If you're an executive and would like to share a day in your life, email Aria Yang at ayang@businessinsider.com.

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I'm a global president at Mars Snacking. My day starts at 5:30 a.m. and our HQ …