SOUTH AFRICA - Drumroll, please—a new Chief Executive Officer has been named! The Board of Hans Merensky Holdings (HMH) and Westfalia Fruit Group have named Chris Bush as the new Group CEO, effective October 28, 2024. Bush will take over from Acting Group CEO Rian du Toit, who will return to his role as Group Chief Financial Officer.

“I am both honored and delighted to be joining an organization that is so clearly dedicated to innovation, product quality, and sustainability,” Bush said. “I am inspired by the company’s stated mission to lead the way in addressing climate change by following in the footsteps of the company’s founder, Dr. Hans Merensky, to do good and contribute to a better planet for future generations.”

Bush, a graduate of Manchester Business School and INSEAD, is a highly experienced international CEO with almost 40 years of experience working across grocery retail. He has led vastly complex multinational organizations, driving both growth and turnaround across various geographies. According to a press release, he has a strong track record in leading people and operations at scale. Most recently, he was Divisional CEO of DFI Retail Group, South East Asia (formerly Dairy Farm Group), directing DFI Retail’s 1,500 stores across seven countries. Prior to that, Bush worked at Tesco Plc for 32 years, leading large-scale businesses in Asia, culminating in his position as the UK Managing Director.

“I am excited to meet our talented team, our customers, communities, and stakeholders around the world to listen and learn how together we can maximize our growth potential and build sustainable, long-term success,” Bush concluded.

HMH and Westfalia Fruit Group Chairman Dr. Khotso Mokhele commented on the appointment.

“After an extensive global search process, the Board is delighted to welcome Mr. Bush as our new Group Chief Executive,” Mokhele said. “Chris is a seasoned CEO with exceptional strategic capabilities, proven operational effectiveness, and strong experience in retail, as well as working across a breadth of different countries and cultures.”

Congratulations to Chris Bush!