Gary Arnold will succeed the long-serving Chris Schutte as CEO of Astral Foods, South Africa’s largest poultry producer.
In a stock exchange announcement, the company said Arnold would take over from Schutte, who steps down at the end of January next year. Schutte, the doyen of the South African poultry industry, has reached Astral’s mandatory retirement age.
Theuns Eloff, chair of Astral’s board, said there had been “a robust replacement process” to determine Schutte’s successor.
“Mr Arnold is currently serving as the Group’s Chief Operating Officer, as well as an Executive Director since 2012, and has worked alongside Mr Schutte for many years.
“Mr Arnold has been an integral part of Astral for the past 28 years. He has extensive experience and an in-depth understanding of our integrated business model and has been integral in executing the Group’s strategy.
“The Board would like to wish Mr Arnold all the best in his new position. The Board is confident that, under his leadership, Astral will continue to build on maintaining its position as South Africa’s leading integrated poultry producer,” the statement said.
