CIES – The Food Business Forum has announced the election, effective immediately, of Claude Hauser as its new chairman.
Hauser, who is chairman of the board of directors of Swiss retailer Migros, will hold the position for the next two years. His main goal will be to actively facilitate the definition of common positions on selected industry issues in the global food business.
“CIES is in a strategically critical position both to support the existing framework of lobbyists and to support our efforts, as individual businesses, to act. CIES’ activities such as the Global Food Safety and the Food Business in Society Initiatives are concrete examples of how companies in the food industry are increasingly working together to speak with one voice,” Hauser said.
Hauser succeeds Pierre-Olivier Beckers, CEO of Belgian retailer Delhaize Group.
CIES also named four new members to join its board of directors: Kenneth Bengtsson, president and CEO of Swedish retail group ICA AB; Steven Esom, managing director of UK retailer Waitrose; Bill McEwan, president and CEO of Canada’s Sobeys; and Sean Summers, CEO of South African retailer Pick’n Pay.
