ForFarmers UK’s chief operating officer and member of the executive committee, Iain Gardner, will step down effective December 31. He will be succeeded by Steven Read, supply chain director and member of the executive committee.
Gardner has been with ForFarmers for 29 years. Since the acquisition of BOCM PAULS by ForFarmers in July 2012, he has been a member of the executive committee of ForFarmers, responsible for ForFarmers UK. At the time of the acquisition, the agreement was made that Gardner would step down when the appropriate time arrived.
“Iain Gardner has been instrumental in leading the organization to become the leading feed company in the United Kingdom. In the past four years, he has implemented the Horizon 2020 strategy, integrated several acquisitions and laid the foundations of many transformational projects to prepare the organization for future challenges. We thank him for his commitment and contribution,” said Yoram Knoop, CEO of ForFarmers.
Read has been with ForFarmers for 31 years. As supply chain director, he is responsible for purchasing and formulation and for manufacturing and logistics and based in Lochem, Netherlands.
“Steven is the natural and logical person to be appointed COO of ForFarmers UK, given his broad experience and successful implementation of changes in the ForFarmers organization and that fact that he has previously been part of the UK senior management team for many years,” Knoop said.
An external search for Read’s successor has begun.