MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, U.S. — Cargill announced on Nov. 2 that Sergio Rial, its chief financial officer (CFO), will resign his post with the company effective at the end of November in order to return to his native Brazil for personal reasons.
Cargill President and Chief Operating Officer David MacLennan will serve as interim chief financial officer until the Cargill board of directors elects a successor.
MacLennan joined Cargill in 1991 and has held management positions within the financial, risk management, energy and animal protein businesses. He previously served as Cargill’s chief financial officer from 2008 to 2011. While in the interim role, MacLennan will continue as the company’s president and chief operating officer.
“Since joining us in 2004, Sergio has energized our growth in Latin America and provided vigorous and thoughtful leadership as a member of the Cargill Leadership Team and Board of Directors and as chief financial officer,” said Cargill Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Greg Page.
Rial served as a leader of Cargill’s group of food businesses since 2004 and of Cargill’s financial services businesses since 2009. He became a senior vice-president and member of the Cargill Leadership Team in 2009. He also served as the company’s regional director for Latin America and as executive chairman of CarVal Investors, an independently managed Cargill subsidiary. He was elected to the Cargill board of directors in 2010 and elected chief financial officer in 2011.