Noble Agri appoints US grain trader executive as new CEO

The Noble Group logo is seen at its headquarters in Hong Kong on March 23, 2015. Noble Agri, the agribusiness unit of Noble Group, announced on Tuesday the appointment of Matt Jansen as its chief executive officer with immediate effect. -- PHOTO: RET
The Noble Group logo is seen at its headquarters in Hong Kong on March 23, 2015. Noble Agri, the agribusiness unit of Noble Group, announced on Tuesday the appointment of Matt Jansen as its chief executive officer with immediate effect. -- PHOTO: RETUERS

SINGAPORE - Noble Agri, the agribusiness unit of mainboard-listed Noble Group, announced on Tuesday the appointment of Matt Jansen as its chief executive officer with immediate effect.

Mr Jansen most recently held the position of senior vice president and president of rival US grain trader Archer Daniels Midland's Global Oilseeds. He was also its chief risk officer.

Prior to that, Mr Jansen was in charge of ADM's Brazilian operation for seven years, after which he re-located to North America to take up the role of corporate vice-president, president of ADM's grain group.

Since 2010, Mr Jansen has been responsible for ADM's global oilseeds business, the largest global segment of ADM's group operations.

Noble currently owns a 49 per cent stake in Noble Agri, after selling a 51 per cent stake last year to Cofco, China's largest food company.

Said Mr Frank Ning, chairman of Noble Agri and Cofco Corporatio: "Matt brings with him the depth of knowledge and broad business experience gained through his years' career in the highly competitive global agri-business. He is ideally suited to drive the future growth of Noble Agri."

Mr Jansen is at least the second executive from a US grain trader to join an agricultural commodity company in the Asia-Pacific region in the past year, Bloomberg News reported earlier. Mark Palmquist, an executive with CHS Inc., became CEO of Australia's Graincorp Ltd. in October.

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