MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, US — Cargill has hired Rishi Varma as corporate senior vice president, chief legal and compliance officer, and corporate secretary, effective Jan. 29. Varma will succeed Anna Richo, who is transitioning to corporate senior vice president, strategic adviser to the general counsel and chief executive officer, until her September retirement.

Varma joins Cargill from Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE), where he is senior vice president, general counsel and corporate secretary. While at HPE, he oversaw corporate governance, mergers and acquisitions, commercial contracting, supply chain matters, litigation, intellectual property, and corporate securities. He also played an integral role in the legal separation of Hewlett Packard Co. into Hewlett Packard Enterprise and HP Inc. 

Prior, Varma was general counsel for two publicly traded companies – TPC Group, Inc., a petrochemical company, and Trico Marine Services, Inc., a global subsea service provider. At Trico, he also held additional management roles, including chief operating officer and president.

Varma holds a bachelor’s of science degree in political science from Georgetown University and a juris doctor degree from Georgetown University Law Center.

“We are thrilled to welcome Rishi, a highly respected attorney and business leader, to Cargill,” said Brian Sikes, board chair, president and chief executive officer of Cargill. “His commitment to operational excellence and ensuring this is achieved in compliance with the highest legal and ethical standards builds on our strong culture of integrity.