After seven years of working with Barry Callebaut, ceo Patrick De Maeseneire has decided to leave the company to accept the position of ceo of Adecco SA, a global leader in human resources services, effective June 1, 2009. As a result, the company’s Board of Directors has appointed Juergen B. Steinemann to the position of ceo, effective August 1, 2009. Barry Callebaut’s Chairman of the Board Andreas Jacobs will act as ceo of the company between June 1 and August 1, 2009.

Steinemann previously served as chief operating officer of Nutreco Agriculture, an international animal nutrition and fish feed company with over 100 production and processing plants in more than 30 countries. He has also served as a member of the Executive Board of Nutreco since 2001.

“During seven intensive years, I had the privilege to work with a passionate team for a remarkable company,” says De Maeseneire. “Together we have been able to develop Barry Callebaut into a global company, nearly doubling its sales as well as the number of factories. I have come to the conclusion that a ceo change would now be good for Barry Callebaut and for me. Therefore, I informed the Board of Directors early on of my decision not to renew my contract, which would have expired at the end of 2009.”

“Juergen Steinemann has a wealth of experience in implementing focused business strategies in B2B companies supplying the food and the feed industries, which resulted in impressive sales and profit growth on a global scale,” says Jacobs. “The Board is excited Juergen Steinemann is joining the company and is convinced that he will lead Barry Callebaut to the next level of growth.”

Moreover, Barry Callebaut’s Board of Directors has appointed David S. Johnson as president & CEO, Americas, and a member of the senior management team, effective May 1. Johnson will succeed Massimo Garavaglia, who relocated from Europe to hold the position for three years. Garavaglia will return to Europe to succeed Onno Bleeker as president, Western Europe, starting June 1.

After more than 20 years with Barry Callebaut, Bleeker plans to retire and take on a strategic position within the company. Specifically, Barry Callebaut hopes to include Bleeker as a company representative on the Board of Directors for the new Natra, which is expected to result from the companies’ signed memorandum of understanding, integrating Barry Callebaut’s European consumer business into Natra, after the closing of the transaction this summer.