Natasha Chen named as President of Barry Callebaut North America

Barry Callebaut Group has announced the appointment of Natasha Chen as President of Barry Callebaut North America, effective 16 September 2024. Ms. Chen will succeed Ben De Schryver, who has decided to leave the company to explore new opportunities.

In her new position, Ms. Chen will oversee Barry Callebaut’s operations across the United States, Mexico, and Canada. Reporting directly to CEO Peter Feld, she will also join the company’s Extended Leadership Team.

Ms. Chen, an American national, has a strong track record of driving growth and delivering exceptional service to customers. She brings a wealth of experience from both B2B and B2C sectors, with a particular focus on the US and international markets.

Prior to joining Barry Callebaut, Ms. Chen led the Global Healthcare division at Ecolab, a global leader in B2B sustainability specialising in water, hygiene, and infection prevention solutions. She also spent over 20 years at Colgate-Palmolive, where she held various leadership roles in business management and marketing across multiple regions. Ms. Chen holds an MBA from the Johnson Graduate School of Management at Cornell University.

Commenting on the appointment, Group CEO Peter Feld stated: “We are delighted to welcome Natasha to Barry Callebaut. She is a skilled international leader with a deep understanding of the North American market, digitalisation, and sustainability, which will be instrumental for us to create a more impactful service for our North American customers. With her extensive experience in taking customer focus to the next level and transforming businesses, Natasha will be invaluable as we strive to create the best chocolate solutions and services for our customers.”

He added, “We would also like to thank Ben for his extraordinary dedication and commitment over the past 25 years, including his three years of service as our Group CFO. His contributions have significantly shaped our company’s history. We wish him all the best in his future endeavours.”

The Barry Callebaut Group, headquartered in Zurich, is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of high-quality chocolate and cocoa products. The appointment of Ms. Chen underscores the company’s commitment to strengthening its North American business and enhancing its service offerings to customers across the region.