Cargill to Get New CEO

Nov. 21, 2022

Chief operating officer, a 31-year company veteran, will take over Jan. 1.

The chief operating officer at Cargill Inc. will ascend to the top job at the beginning of next year.

Brian Sikes, who has been with Cargill 31 years, will become CEO of the agribusiness giant Jan. 1. He will replace David MacLennan, who will become executive board chairman.

Sikes joined Cargill in 1991 and has performed various roles, including leading its protein and salt businesses, He became part of the executive team in 2019.

“I am honored to succeed Dave as Cargill’s President and CEO,” Sikes said in a statement. “Under his visionary leadership, Cargill has a solid foundation, business model and culture that positions us for long-term success.”

MacLennan served as Cargill’s CEO for nine years. During his tenure the company made some major acquisitions, including the deal that acquired chicken processor Sanderson Farms in partnership with Continental Grain Co.

About the Author

Pan Demetrakakes | Senior Editor

Pan has written about the food and beverage industry for more than 25 years. His areas of coverage have included formulations, processing, packaging, marketing and retailing. Pan worked for Food Processing Magazine for six years in the 1990s, where he was operations editor (his current role), touring dozens of food plants of every description. He has also worked for Packaging and Food & Beverage Packaging magazines, the latter as chief editor, during which he won three ASBPE awards. He is a graduate of Stanford University with a BA in communications.