Cargill announces Sikes will succeed MacLennan as CEO

Cargill, a privately held American global food corporation based in Minnetonka, Minnesota, U.S.A., announced that Brian Sikes has been elected president and chief executive officer (CEO), effective January 1, 2023. 

Sikes will succeed Dave MacLennan, who joined the company in 1991 and served in multiple executive roles, including CFO and COO, before becoming the company’s chairman and CEO in 2013. 

MacLennan’s long-term strategic vision and willingness to disrupt are exemplified by his leadership on the largest acquisitions in the company’s history, including Croda (bioindustrials), EWOS (aquaculture), Diamond V (animal nutrition), and Sanderson and Wayne Farms (poultry). 

With this transition, MacLennan will assume the role of executive chair of Cargill’s Board of Directors. In his role as executive chair, MacLennan will ensure a smooth leadership transition, serve as a trusted strategic advisor to Sikes, the company and the Board and support Cargill’s long-term strategic plan.

Sikes will be the 10th CEO in Cargill’s 157-year history and brings a strong track record of business operational rigor to the role, having grown the company’s global Protein and Salt enterprise into an industry leader. Sikes currently serves as Cargill’s chief operating officer (COO), where he has been instrumental in constructing the company’s long-term strategy. With broad experience across multiple businesses, cycles and geographies, Sikes held leadership roles in the U.S., Canada and Europe, and served as the head of the company’s Talent Center of Expertise. 

“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,” said 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.”