V alerie Mars is an American heiress and a fourth-generation member of the Mars family, which owns Mars, Incorporated, one of the world's largest and most secretive private companies. She is the daughter of the late Forrest Mars Jr. and the great-granddaughter of Frank C. Mars, who founded the company in 1911. Mars, Inc. is a global behemoth in the confectionery, pet food, and food industries, with a portfolio of iconic brands.

Upon her father's death in 2016, Valerie, along with her three sisters, inherited his stake in the family's vast empire. An alumna of Yale and Columbia, she has been deeply involved in the family business for many years. She serves on the company's board of directors and has held various senior executive roles, including as the head of corporate development, where she was responsible for the company's mergers and acquisitions strategy. She is known for being more publicly visible than many of her notoriously private relatives.