World Grain - October 2015 - 12

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Louis Dreyfus hires new CEO,
ending 17-month search
ROTTERDAM, NETHERLANDS - After a 17-month search and
one aborted hire, Louis Dreyfus Commodities announced on Sept. 18
the appointment of internal candidate Gonzalo Ramírez Martiarena
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The search for a permanent CEO started in April 2014, and was believed to have ended at the end of November 2014 with the hiring of
Mayo Schmidt, former Viterra CEO and president. However, Louis
Dreyfus announced on Dec. 31, 2014 that the company and Schmidt
"jointly decided not to proceed" and the CEO search resumed. The
CEO search was led by the company's supervisory board.
Ramírez Martiarena is currently head of the
Asia region for Louis Dreyfus Commodities, a
responsibility that he will retain in the interim.
He joined the group in 2005, initially based in
Buenos Aires, Argentina, working for the oilseeds platform, and later in Paris, France, working for the freight platform. In 2007 he moved
to Madrid to develop the distribution market for
Louis Dreyfus Commodities Spain.
Martiarena
The following year he returned to Buenos Aires
to lead the group's grains and oilseeds origination activities in South
Latin America, and in parallel started the fertilizers and seeds diviVLRQLQ$UJHQWLQD+HVXEVHTXHQWO\VHUYHGDVFKLHIRSHUDWLQJRI¿FHUIRU
South & West Latin America, and in 2012 he was appointed head of
that region, acting in parallel as interim senior head of regions for the
group between 2013 and 2014. He moved to Singapore in 2015 in his
most recent role as head of the Asia Region. Prior to joining the group,
Ramírez Martiarena worked for 15 years at Nidera in Argentina.
"Gonzalo is a valued member of our senior management team, and

stood out as a strong internal candidate during an extensive and rigorous search process led by the supervisory board, that considered both
external and internal candidates," said Margarita Louis-Dreyfus. "I
have had the opportunity to closely follow Gonzalo's career and have
been impressed with his entrepreneurial spirit and commitment to responsible and sustainable business practices. The supervisory board
LVFRQ¿GHQWWKDW*RQ]DORLVZHOOSODFHGWRGULYHRXUFRPSDQ\IRUward during this time of change for the entire agribusiness industry,
as we strive to provide for a growing global population. "
"I am honored by the trust that Margarita Louis-Dreyfus and the
supervisory board have placed in me by selecting me as CEO," said
Ramírez Martiarena. "I look forward to working closely with the
board, the senior management team and all our talented colleagues
around the world, as we continue to develop our global presence to
meet the evolving needs of the world around us, with the same integrity and commitment that have established Louis Dreyfus Commodities as a trusted name over our 164-year history."
Along with the CEO announcement, Louis Dreyfus made several
other management appointments. Margarita Louis Dreyfus, currently
chairperson of Louis Dreyfus Holding, was appointed non-executive
chairperson of the Louis Dreyfus Commodities Group Supervisory
Board, effective Oct. 1.
Margarita Louis-Dreyfus has been tightening her grip on the company by purchasing more shares in Louis Dreyfus Holding BV from family members. The Akira trust now owns about 80% of Louis Dreyfus
Holding, which controls about 85% of Louis Dreyfus Commodities.
Louis Dreyfus is part of the so-called "ABCD" agricultural commodity companies that include Archer Daniels Midland Co., Bunge
Ltd. and Cargill.

Ardent Mills finalizes deal to acquire Mondelez facility
DENVER, COLORADO, U.S. - Ardent Mills said on Sept. 1 that
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located in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada. The mill produces hard and
VRIWZKHDWÀRXUIRULWV&DQDGLDQEDNHULHVDQGDQXPEHURIIRRGPDQXfacturing customers. The details of the transaction were not disclosed.
The Mississauga mill has daily capacity to produce 8,500 cwts of
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storage totaling 1,900,000 bushels. Mississauga is located just outside
of Toronto and is about a 90-mile drive from Buffalo, New York, U.S.
According to Ardent Mills, the Mississauga mill will add to its
capabilities to serve food manufacturers across Canada, and will support Ardent Mills' vision of being the trusted partner in nurturing its
customers, consumers and communities through innovative and nutritious grain-based solutions. More than 30 existing team members
have joined Ardent Mills with the close of the transaction.
"We are nimble and entrepreneurial. Acquiring this mill is con12

sistent with our strategies for growth and our desire to help our cusWRPHUVZLQ´VDLG'DQ'\H$UGHQW0LOOV&KLHI([HFXWLYH2I¿FHU
"There is a strong team in place at the mill, and we are pleased to
have them join Ardent Mills. We expect a very smooth transition as
we serve our Canadian customers and ultimately consumers with
safe, nutritious grain-based products. We are excited about this mill's
IXWXUHDQGZH¶UHFRQ¿GHQWZHFDQOHYHUDJHRXULQQRYDWLRQDQGVXSply chain capabilities going forward."
$UGHQW0LOOVLVE\IDUWKHODUJHVWÀRXUPLOOLQJFRPSDQ\LQWKH8QLWed States but is the third largest in Canada, according to the Grain &
Milling Annual published by Sosland Publishing Co. With the acquisition, Ardent Mills has a daily milling capacity in Canada of 39,000
cwts. Its total North American capacity is now 523,500 cwts.
Ardent Mills also has milling operations in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Montreal and Quebec as well as a bakery-mix facility in BurlLQJWRQDQGDQDGPLQLVWUDWLYHVDOHVRI¿FHLQ%UDPSWRQ2QWDULR
October 2015 / World Grain / www.World-Grain.com

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World Grain - October 2015

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