Luiz Noto appointed as CEO of COFCO’s grains division in Brazil
BRAZIL – COFCO International, a global trading company operating in 37 countries and trading across 50 markets, announced the appointment of Luiz Noto as the new CEO of its Grains and Oilseeds division in Brazil.
This strategic move underscores COFCO’s commitment to strengthening its presence and expanding its capabilities in the Latin American agribusiness landscape.
Luiz Noto brings a wealth of experience, having spent 21 years at Archer Daniels Midland Company (ADM).
At ADM, Noto served as the director of oils and biodiesel, where he played a pivotal role in advancing the company’s operations within the agribusiness landscape.
His extensive background in various sector roles makes him a valuable asset for COFCO’s ambitious growth plans.
“I am honored to take on this role at one of the world’s largest food and agricultural companies. COFCO has enormous growth potential and a robust plan to become increasingly relevant in the markets in which it operates in Latin America,” Noto stated. “The strategy of having leadership focused solely on this division in Brazil highlights the country’s significance to the company and reinforces our goal of increasing origination capacity with long-term sustainable growth.”
COFCO International, the agribusiness arm of COFCO Corporation, one of China’s largest agricultural and food companies, reported an impressive annual revenue of approximately US$50.1 billion.
In the previous year, the company managed 121.7 million tons of products, predominantly grains, showcasing its substantial footprint in the global agricultural market.
Commitment to sustainability
In parallel to the leadership announcement, COFCO International highlighted a significant milestone in its sustainability efforts. COFCO International Argentina successfully loaded 18,000 tonnes of certified deforestation-free soymeal at its Timbúes port terminal on the Parana River near Rosario.
This marks the company’s first fully traceable and segregated soy shipment, a critical step aligned with the forthcoming European Union Regulation on Deforestation-Free Products (EUDR).
The shipment, carried out on May 16 aboard the MV Dublin Eagle, is destined for R&H Hall, Ireland’s largest feed manufacturer.
The soymeal and soybeans from which it was processed are certified as free from recent deforestation and have been meticulously segregated since harvesting to avoid any contamination with non-certified produce.
COFCO emphasized the importance of this initiative as part of its broader commitment to achieving deforestation and conversion-free soy supply chains. This endeavor also aims to reduce emissions resulting from land use changes, reinforcing Cofco’s dedication to environmental sustainability and responsible sourcing practices.
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