Cargill shifts leadership team, promotes Pilar Cruz to chief sustainability officer

Cargill Aqua Nutrition President Pilar Cruz has been promoted to the position of Cargill’s chief sustainability officer, joining the company’s executive team.

Cargill also promoted Brian Sikes to chief operating officer and Jon Nash to global protein and salt enterprise lead, after running the company’s North American protein business. Cargill said the moves were made as part of a corporate strategic growth initiative and will come into effect 1 April, 2021.

“These leaders are committed to our customer-driven growth strategy and have deep experience in, and a passion for, innovation, disruption, and building safe, responsible, and sustainable solutions in food and agriculture,” Cargill Chairman and CEO Dave MacLennan said. “As we accelerate our growth strategy into specialties and value-add spaces, I’m confident this is the team to lead Cargill forward.”

In her new role, Cruz will have responsibility for the company’s sustainability, corporate responsibility, and global communications functions, the company said. As leader of Cargill’s global aqua nutrition business, Cruz oversaw the launch of its SeaFurther sustainability program, which set the goal helping the company’s salmon farming clients reduce the environmental footprint of their fish by 30 percent by 2030.

Cruz joined Cargill in 2002 and previously led the company’s global strategy and development function, focusing on strategy, mergers and acquisitions, and business development.  

Ruth Kimmelshue, who has led Cargill’s global business operations and supply chains for the past five years, will take over as lead for the company’s animal nutrition and health enterprise. She has been a member of Cargill’s executive team since 2015, and previously held leadership roles in the protein and agricultural supply chain businesses and serving as Cargill’s first chief sustainability officer.

Julian Chase, who leads the company’s transformation initiatives, has been given additional responsibilities leading business operations and supply chains. He joined the executive team in 2018.

David Webster, who has led Cargill’s edible oils and animal nutrition and health enterprise groups, will take over the company’s food ingredients and bioindustrial enterprise, based in the Netherlands. Webster will replace Frank van Lierde, who is retiring on 1 June, 2021.

Photo courtesy of Cargill