Cargill has elected Brian Sikes, a 31-year Cargill veteran, as president and chief executive officer (CEO), effective Jan. 1, 2023, while current CEO Dave MacLennan will assume the role of executive chair of Cargill’s board of directors.
Sikes has a strong track record of business operations, having grown the company’s global protein and salt enterprise into an industry leader. Currently Cargill’s chief operating officer, he has been played a major role in constructing the company’s long-term strategy. He has experience across multiple businesses, cycles, and geographies, and has held leadership roles in the U.S., Canada, and Europe.
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“As Cargill continues to navigate dynamic global markets, both operational excellence and a clearly articulated vision driven by purpose and values will define the company’s success, and there is no better person than Brian to lead Cargill,” says Dave MacLennan. “He’s a person of action and results, with a relentless passion for serving our customers and our people. Brian has the qualities we value in a strong leader—integrity, empathy, resilience, and authenticity. Under his leadership, I am confident the best days for Cargill, and its greatest contributions, lie ahead.”
Sikes is succeeding MacLennan, who joined the company in 1991 and has served in multiple executive roles, including CFO and COO, and became the company’s chairman and CEO in 2013. As CEO, MacLennan led the successful transformation of Cargill into a focused portfolio with an expanded global footprint in roughly 70 countries. He oversaw the largest acquisitions in the company’s history, including Croda, EWOS, Diamond V, and Sanderson and Wayne Farms. During his tenure, the company built expertise in alternative proteins and has developed technologies and digital solutions to transform farming, supply chains, and food delivery.
