Advantage Solutions appoints Jeff Harsh as COO of Branded Services, effective August 25, succeeding Dean General in new role.
Quiver AI Summary
Advantage Solutions Inc has appointed Jeff Harsh as the new Chief Operating Officer of its Branded Services segment, effective August 25, 2025. Harsh, who brings 28 years of experience from The Hershey Company where he drove significant business growth and operational improvements, will join the executive leadership team and report to CEO Dave Peacock. His expertise in sales planning and customer engagement will be vital in optimizing solutions for clients in the consumer packaged goods (CPG) sector. Harsh succeeds Dean General, who transitions to a new role as Chief Industry Development Officer, focusing on client and retailer strategy. These changes aim to enhance value, innovation, and support for clients' evolving needs.
Potential Positives
- Appointment of Jeff Harsh as COO is a strategic move to enhance operational excellence and sales for Branded Services, leveraging his extensive experience from The Hershey Company.
- Leadership transitions designed to strengthen client and retailer engagement strategy, indicating a focus on innovation and adapting to evolving market needs.
- Harsh’s expertise in multi-billion-dollar business management and customer engagement programs is expected to unlock additional value for clients and improve market integration.
Potential Negatives
- The transition of Dean General out of his role as COO to a newly established position may indicate instability or restructuring within the company's executive team, which can create uncertainty for investors and clients.
- The introduction of a new COO so close to the company's announcement may suggest a lack of strategic foresight in leadership planning, potentially undermining confidence in management's stability and decision-making.
FAQ
Who is the new Chief Operating Officer at Advantage Solutions?
Jeff Harsh has been appointed as the new Chief Operating Officer of Advantage Solutions' Branded Services segment.
When does Jeff Harsh start his new role?
Jeff Harsh will officially start his role on August 25, 2025.
What experience does Jeff Harsh bring to Advantage?
Harsh brings 28 years of experience from The Hershey Company, where he managed multi-billion-dollar businesses and drove growth initiatives.
What is the focus of Advantage Solutions' Branded Services?
Branded Services focuses on extending CPGs' sales and marketing efforts, leveraging technology and insights to enhance value for clients.
Who did Jeff Harsh succeed at Advantage Solutions?
Jeff Harsh succeeds Dean General, who is transitioning to a newly established role as Chief Industry Development Officer.
Disclaimer: This is an AI-generated summary of a press release distributed by GlobeNewswire. The model used to summarize this release may make mistakes. See the full release here.
$ADV Insider Trading Activity
$ADV insiders have traded $ADV stock on the open market 22 times in the past 6 months. Of those trades, 22 have been purchases and 0 have been sales.
Here’s a breakdown of recent trading of $ADV stock by insiders over the last 6 months:
- JAMES M KILTS has made 19 purchases buying 401,714 shares for an estimated $532,131 and 0 sales.
- DAVID A PEACOCK (Chief Executive Officer) purchased 70,000 shares for an estimated $121,996
- CHRISTOPHER GROWE (Chief Financial Officer) has made 2 purchases buying 10,000 shares for an estimated $17,003 and 0 sales.
To track insider transactions, check out Quiver Quantitative's insider trading dashboard.
$ADV Hedge Fund Activity
We have seen 49 institutional investors add shares of $ADV stock to their portfolio, and 69 decrease their positions in their most recent quarter.
Here are some of the largest recent moves:
- CASTLEKNIGHT MANAGEMENT LP added 1,019,428 shares (+26.0%) to their portfolio in Q1 2025, for an estimated $1,539,336
- INDABA CAPITAL MANAGEMENT, L.P. added 980,865 shares (+inf%) to their portfolio in Q1 2025, for an estimated $1,481,106
- ARROWSTREET CAPITAL, LIMITED PARTNERSHIP removed 461,443 shares (-81.0%) from their portfolio in Q1 2025, for an estimated $696,778
- CHARLES SCHWAB INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT INC added 408,802 shares (+63.9%) to their portfolio in Q1 2025, for an estimated $617,291
- KENNEDY CAPITAL MANAGEMENT LLC removed 390,464 shares (-60.6%) from their portfolio in Q1 2025, for an estimated $589,600
- PNC FINANCIAL SERVICES GROUP, INC. removed 350,134 shares (-100.0%) from their portfolio in Q1 2025, for an estimated $528,702
- T. ROWE PRICE INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT, INC. removed 339,182 shares (-2.3%) from their portfolio in Q1 2025, for an estimated $512,164
To track hedge funds' stock portfolios, check out Quiver Quantitative's institutional holdings dashboard.
$ADV Analyst Ratings
Wall Street analysts have issued reports on $ADV in the last several months. We have seen 1 firms issue buy ratings on the stock, and 0 firms issue sell ratings.
Here are some recent analyst ratings:
- Canaccord Genuity issued a "Buy" rating on 05/13/2025
To track analyst ratings and price targets for $ADV, check out Quiver Quantitative's $ADV forecast page.
Full Release
ST. LOUIS, Aug. 08, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Advantage Solutions Inc (NASDAQ: ADV), announced the appointment of Jeff Harsh as the new Chief Operating Officer of its Branded Services business segment, effective Aug. 25. Harsh will join the company’s executive leadership team and report to CEO Dave Peacock.
Harsh comes to Advantage after 28 years at The Hershey Company where he managed multi-billion-dollar businesses, delivering sustained growth and margin improvement. He has been recognized for spearheading key initiatives in segmentation, pricing, and route-to-market transformation, as well as developing comprehensive customer engagement programs that focused on rebuilding strategic partnerships.
His expertise in sales planning, omnichannel integration, and operational excellence will be crucial with Branded Services serving as an extension of CPGs’ sales and marketing teams. In this role, Jeff will also be asked to unlock additional value for clients, turning insights into action, further integrating market-leading technology and leveraging Advantage’s network scale to provide solutions along the entire path to purchase.
“At a time when trade spend and marketing budgets are being stretched, Jeff brings a wealth of operational excellence,” said Advantage Solutions CEO Dave Peacock. “His experience and passion will further energize our mission of driving sales for less on behalf of our CPG clients and retail customers.”
Prior to his time at Hershey, Harsh was district operations manager at ALDI USA. Harsh earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Food Systems Economics from Michigan State University with an emphasis on finance and strategy. He was also a member of the Michigan State rugby team and a two-time all-Big Ten team selection.
Harsh will succeed Dean General, who will transition at Advantage into a newly established role as Chief Industry Development Officer and will remain on the executive leadership team. General’s decades-long industry expertise and deep relationships will be pivotal as he shapes client and retailer engagement strategy, strengthens enterprise retailer partnerships, and builds strategic capabilities. Dean will represent the voice of the client within our organization, elevate our presence across key industry forums, and partner closely with our Growth and Business Development teams to strengthen the end-to-end value we deliver for our clients and customers.
“These leadership changes are designed to enhance our ability to deliver value, accelerate innovation, and support our clients’ evolving needs. With Jeff and Dean in these pivotal roles, we are confident in our ability to further strengthen our partnership and help drive business forward for our clients,” said Peacock.
About Advantage Solutions
Advantage Solutions is the leading omnichannel retail solutions agency in North America, uniquely positioned at the intersection of consumer-packaged goods brands and retailers. With its data- and technology-powered services, Advantage leverages its unparalleled insights, expertise and scale to help brands and retailers of all sizes generate demand and get products into the hands of consumers, wherever they shop. Whether it’s creating meaningful moments and experiences in-store and online, optimizing assortment and merchandising, or accelerating e-commerce and digital capabilities, Advantage is the trusted partner that keeps commerce and life moving. Advantage has offices throughout North America and strategic investments and owned operations in select international markets. For more information, please visit
youradv.com
.
Investor Contacts:
Ruben Mella
[email protected]
Media Contacts:
Jeff Levine
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