Cargill Names Former Meat Boss Sikes as CEO of Food Giant
- Sikes takes the top job as MacLennan becomes executive chair
- Changes comes after two consecutive years of record profits
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Agribusiness giant Cargill Inc. named Brian Sikes as its new chief executive officer, solidifying a pivot to higher-profit meat and processing businesses from its historic roots as a grains trader.
Sikes, who became chief operating officer last year after running Cargill’s meat business, will take the top job on Jan. 1, replacing David MacLennan, who will become executive chair, the company said on Monday. MacLennan turned the 157-year-old agricultural commodities buyer and seller into a protein giant, delivered two consecutive years of record profits. The Minneapolis-based company, owned by a pair of billionaire families, has about 160,000 employees across 70 countries.