WCF appoints Chris Vincent as President

October 25, 2022

Following on from World Cocoa Foundation (WCF) closing pre-event registrations for it 2022 Partnership Meeting having registered more than 350 people, the organisation announced that Chris Vincent, previously its Interim President, has been appointed the new President and Peter Boone, Chief Executive Officer of Barry Callebaut has become its new Chairman.

Mr Vincent and Mr Boone, the first CEO to hold the chairmanship, were appointed after a vote by the WCF’s Board of Directors. Mr Vincent succeeds Martin Short, who resigned from the post in August. Mr Boone succeeds Barry Parkin, Chief Procurement and Sustainability Officer at Mars, who led the non-profit’s Board for eight years. Mr Parkin will continue to serve at the Foundation as a Board Member.

“I am excited about becoming the new President of the World Cocoa Foundation and look forward to working with our partners in government, industry, civil society and farming communities to increase the pace at which we bring greater sustainability to the cocoa sector,” said Chris Vincent, President of WCF. “It is a huge vote of confidence in WCF to have someone with Peter’s seniority and experience becoming our new chairman and we are enormously grateful to Barry Parkin for his service over the last eight years.”

The Board also appointed two new Board Officers, Tricia Brannigan, Chief Procurement Officer and Vice President Global Procurement at The Hershey Company; and Peter Blommer, Vice Charirman of Blommer. Christine McGrath, Vice President and Chief of Global Impact, Sustainability and Well-being at Mondelēz International remains a Board Officer for another term.

“With both cocoa origin countries and cocoa consuming countries implementing new initiatives for a sustainable cocoa supply chain, this is a unique time for forging a shared vision. I am honored to have been elected chairman of the World Cocoa Foundation, as it is uniquely placed to be a constructive partner on behalf of the cocoa and chocolate industry in crafting this vision,” said Mr Boone.

The new WCF Board officers replace Gerry Manley, Chief Executive Officer of Olam Cocoa, and Steven Retzlaff, President Global Cocoa at Barry Callebaut.

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