Fertilizer International 522 Sept-Oct 2024
30 September 2024
People
Mark Thompson became Nutrien’s executive vice president (EVP) and chief financial officer (CFO) on 26th August. Mr Thompson succeeds Pedro Farah, who will remain with the company in an advisory capacity until 31st December as part of a succession plan.
“Mark’s impressive track record of execution, along with his proven financial and strategic acumen provides the unique ability to succeed in this position on day one. He brings in-depth knowledge of our business that will support the advancement of our strategic actions to enhance quality of earnings and cash flow,” said Ken Seitz, Nutrien’s president and CEO.
“On behalf of the Nutrien team, I would also like to thank Pedro for his service and commitment to Nutrien over the last five years,” Seitz added.
“I’ve had the privilege to serve in leadership roles across the company and firmly believe in the opportunities afforded by Nutrien’s strong competitive advantages and world-class asset base to deliver long-term shareholder value,” Mark Thompson said in reply. “I look forward to continuing to partner with Ken and our executive leadership team on the disciplined execution of our strategy and drive a focused approach to capital allocation.”
Mr Thompson has been with Nutrien since 2011, serving as EVP and Chief Commercial Officer immediately prior to his new appointment. Previously, Mark held executive and senior leadership roles across the company. These included stints as chief strategy & sustainability officer, chief corporate development & strategy officer, and vice president of business development for Nutrien’s retail business. He is a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) and holds Bachelor of Commerce (Finance) and Bachelor of Arts degrees from the University of Saskatchewan.
Gregory D Cameron was elected EVP and CFO of CF Industries by the company’s board of directors in June. Mr Cameron will report to Tony Will, CF’s president and CEO, and serve as a member of the company’s senior leadership team. He succeeds Christopher D Bohn, who was recently promoted to executive vice president and chief operating officer (COO).
“We are pleased to welcome Greg to CF Industries,” said Tony Will. “He brings proven leadership, financial and clean energy expertise, and a strong track record of developing high-performing teams that will serve our company, employees and shareholders well.”
Mr Cameron most recently served as president and CFO of Bloom Energy, a global leader in solid oxide fuel cell technology. He joined Bloom Energy in 2020 as an EVP. Prior to that, Mr Cameron held a series of senior roles at General Electric during his 26 years with the company. These notably included periods as president and CEO, global operations, 2018-2019, and president and CEO, global legacy solutions-GE Capital, 2016-2018.
Brazil Potash Corp set up an advisory board chaired by Mayo Schmidt in July. The new board will provide the company with potash sector, in-country and investor relations advice – as it seeks to take its under-development Autazes potash project in Brazil to the construction phase. The advisory board also includes the following notable individuals: Kátia Abreu, Luis Adams, Helio Diniz, Maria Claudia Guimaraes, Cidinho Santos and William Steers.
In a distinguished career, Mr Schmidt previously led Nutrien, the world’s largest potash producer, during the period immediately following its formation. He retired from the Canadian fertilizer giant in 2022, having served as chairman and transitional president & CEO. In 2018, Mayo chaired the merger committee which steered the integration of Agrium and Potash Corp and led to the creation of Nutrien.
Earlier in his career, Mr Schmidt held a number of key management positions, largely in the agricultural sector, working for companies such as General Mills and ConAgra.
Stan Bharti, Brazil Potash’s executive chairman, said: “Brazil Potash has assembled a very impressive advisory board with extensive depth of networks in the fertilizer sector, Brazil’s government and the investment community that will contribute meaningfully to transitioning our construction-ready Autazes Project into the next major potash producer. Each advisory board member is a skilled leader with a strong network that will provide good advice and insights to our international board of directors, with majority having an on-the-ground presence in the heartland of Brazil’s farming community, Mato Grosso.” n