Rosenfeld was born to a Jewish couple in Westbury, New York, on May 3, 1953. Her father, Seymour, was a descendant of Romanian Jews while her mother Joan was raised amongst German Jews. But distant from the influences of Jewish culture and exposed to Western behavior, Rosenfeld grew up under the precedence of American norms and customs. To understand these influences better, she decided to take up degree in Psychology at Cornell University, and later on a master’s degree in business and a Ph.D. in marketing and statistics. Her attempt to understand American culture shifted focus. She was on her way to becoming an expert in consumerist behavior.
Upon completing her education, Rosenfeld entered the food and beverage industry, starting at a New York advertising firm, Dancer Fitzgerald. She later applied in General Foods and worked at the consumer research department.
Years of hard work, coupled with a knack for understanding market behavior, Rosenfeld was appointed CEO and chairwoman of Frito-Lay. It was a first for Rosenfeld to handle a brand, and it wasn’t the last. Two years later, she was also appointed CEO of Kraft Foods. Under her management, Kraft experienced a turnaround and restructuring of key business in major markets.
Dubbed a risk-taker, Rosenfeld never fails to shock the market with her guts and smarts – which comes at a price. Her swift decision to takeover British confectioner Cadbury a couple of years ago caused British media to compare her tactics to that of wrestling. Even Warren Buffet called her decision dumb. However, Rosenfeld proved them all wrong as shares of stockholders rose after the acquisition.
Every time critics raise their eyebrows, Rosenfeld’s history of high achievement shows that she definitely knows what she is doing.