LONDON — British confectionary company Pladis has added Godiva Chocolatier to its $3.8 billion brand portfolio, which already includes several well-known confectionery brands, including McVitie’s, Carr’s and Jacob’s.

“Pladis is a 180-year-old startup,” said Salman Amin, chief executive officer of Pladis. “It combines iconic snacking brands with a startup’s mentality and agility to offer products that continue to meet people’s evolving snacking preferences. Synonymous with artisanal and beautifully curated chocolates since it was founded in Belgium almost a century ago, Godiva is a perfect fit within Pladis’ global portfolio of beloved brands. I am delighted to welcome Steve Lesnard to the team to drive growth while upholding Godiva’s beautiful legacy.”

As part of the integration, Pladis has appointed Steve Lesnard as the new president of Godiva, effective May 1. In his new role, Lesnard will work with Pladis to “take Godiva and its legendary chocolate to new heights,” the company said.

Lesnard is joining Godiva from the multinational cosmetic company Sephora, where he held the position of global chief brand officer and president of private label. Pladis said Lesnard also is credited with helping Sephora reach double-digit growth around the world in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. Other consumer packaged goods companies that Lesnard has worked at include Nike and North Face.

“I’m thrilled to join pladis as president of Godiva,” Lesnard said. “I’ve always regarded Godiva as one of the industry’s — in fact the world’s — iconic brands, delivering exciting innovation while remaining true to its rich, almost century old heritage. I’m energized by the opportunities Godiva has, to continue benefiting from Pladis’ industry-leading insights, extensive retail customer relationships, innovative R&D, and highly focused, profitable growth strategy.”

Pladis said it plans to accelerate the sales of Godiva, specifically in the United States and China markets, by 2026.