Ben Backberg
About Ben Backberg
Ben Backberg is the Assistant General Counsel and Assistant Corporate Secretary at General Mills, with a background in law and business from Santa Clara University and the University of Minnesota.
Title and Current Role at General Mills
Ben Backberg holds the position of Assistant General Counsel and Assistant Corporate Secretary at General Mills. In his role, he supports the work of the board of directors and its committees. He counsels the board and senior management on governance, compensation, environmental, and social developments and policies. His responsibilities also include preparing SEC disclosures, leading investor engagements, and planning and overseeing the annual shareholder meetings.
Educational Background
Ben Backberg has a robust educational background. He earned his Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Santa Clara University Leavey School of Business. Additionally, he holds a Doctor of Law (JD) from Santa Clara University School of Law. He completed his Bachelor of Arts (BA) from the University of Minnesota.
Previous Experience as an Attorney
Before joining General Mills, Ben Backberg worked as an attorney at Simpson, Thacher & Bartlett in Palo Alto, CA, and Fredrikson & Byron in Minneapolis, MN. In these roles, he advised clients on corporate governance and regulatory matters, securities offerings, and mergers and acquisitions. His extensive experience in these areas supports his current responsibilities at General Mills.
Professional Involvement and Contributions
Since 2017, Ben Backberg has been an officer of the Society for Corporate Governance (Twin Cities Chapter). He is also a regular speaker at regional and national corporate governance events, sharing his expertise and insights on various related topics.