ST. LOUIS — Bunge Global SA on April 16 unveiled the executive leadership team for the combined Bunge and Viterra business following the close of the proposed transaction, which is anticipated to occur in mid-2024. Bunge and Viterra announced last June that they had agreed to a merger that will create one of the world’s largest agribusiness companies, moving it closer in size and scope to leading agribusiness giants Cargill and ADM.

As previously announced, following the close of the transaction, the combined company will be led by Greg Heckman, Bunge’s chief executive officer, and John Neppl, Bunge’s chief financial officer.  

David Mattiske, CEO of Viterra, will become co-chief operating officer (COO) along with Julio Garros, Bunge’s co-president, Agribusiness. In their roles as co-COOs, they will jointly oversee the commercial activities of the future combined organization, which includes commodity value chains, country/regional structures, Centers of Expertise and Industrial Operations and Safety. 

“The future combined company will expand its reach into more crops and countries, offering farmers greater market access and differentiated, value-added solutions in all key origins,” Heckman said. “Food, feed and fuel customers will benefit from a broader product portfolio and expanded global supply options. Creating the co-COO positions ensures we have the right level of leadership focus on the multiple commercial and operational streams so that we identify the strengths of our current organizations and leverage them globally as we come together as One Bunge.”

Also serving on the executive leadership team of the future combined company will be Kellie Sears, chief human resources officer; Joe Podwika, chief legal officer; Robert Wagner, chief risk officer; Pierre Mauger, chief transformation officer; Debra King, chief technology officer; and Robert Coviello, chief sustainability officer and government affairs.

These global functional leaders will set global strategy, focusing on streamlining and standardizing processes and systems to support the business more effectively, the company said. 

Other key commercial leaders of the future combined organization include Christos Dimopoulos, who assumes the newly created role of executive vice president of global markets. According to Bunge,  Dimopoulos will partner with the co-COOs to deliver results by driving the commercial strategy and risk deployment, while being directly responsible for the ocean freight, global logistics, research, financial services, central hedge desk and special risk units. Aaron Buettner will continue to lead food solutions, which includes the tropical oils value chain, specialty oils, food protein, lecithin and corn milling. He will be responsible for leading Bunge’s food go-to-market strategy, working closely with the value chains to grow our business with food customers.

The leadership appointments will go into effect once the transaction closes, Bunge shared.

Read more about personnel changes throughout the industry.