Sun World International has appointed Gerardo Lugo to the new role of chief commercial officer and has promoted Global Licensing Directors Pablo Ramirez and Petri van der Merwe to vice presidents of global licensing.
The Bakersfield, Calif.-based global fruit variety development and licensing company said the personnel moves reflect growth and the opportunities resulting from its acquisition of Biogold.
“It’s a cause for celebration in any organization to announce the promotion of not just one, but two valued team members,” Bernardo Calvo, Sun World’s president and chief operating officer, said in a news release. “But also adding Gerardo, who I’ve long known and deeply respect, reflects our collective optimism at Sun World. These three exemplary professionals are more than ready to hit the ground running on day one in their new positions, which is essential as there are many growth opportunities to be maximized.”
Lugo, who will report to Calvo, has three decades of agricultural experience, primarily with Monsanto and Bayer’s row crop and vegetable seed businesses, where he held numerous senior commercial and strategic roles, both at the regional level leading operations in Latin America, Eastern Europe, the Middle East and Africa, as well as at the global level, according to the release. Lugo conceived and implemented many strategic initiatives to drive growth throughout his career.
Sun World said its outsized growth trajectory reflects the work of many teammates, especially Ramirez and van der Merwe.
“Not only have they worked together to enhance Sun World’s geographic footprint, they have also collaborated to add invaluable systemwide processes and discipline that allow the company to more effectively align with and serve their licensees,” the company said.
Ramirez and van der Merwe join the recently appointed vice president of global licensing, Viresh Ramburan. The executives will report to Lugo and will manage the company’s licensing activities and staff, the release said.
