ROTTERDAM, NETHERLANDS – Louis Dreyfus Company B.V. (LDC) has appointed Michael Gelchie as chief operating officer (COO) of the Group, taking on the role from Andrea Maserti who has decided to leave the company, effective immediately.

Gelchie will report directly to Ian McIntosh LDC’s chief executive officer (CEO).

Michael Gelchie began his career at LDC in 1990 and worked for the group in different senior trading and management positions in LDC’s Sugar, Rice and Cocoa businesses. He assisted in the startup of Louis Dreyfus Investment Group in 2008, where he was a Senior Portfolio manager. He left LDC in 2010 to work as head of Agricultural Trading at Sierentz LLC and then head of Systematic Trading at Sucden Americas Corporation. He returned to LDC in July 2019 as head of the Coffee Platform.

“These measures will allow us to streamline our organization in order to be able to better focus on the current challenges of our industry," said Margarita Louis-Dreyfus. "Michael Gelchie will bring us not only long-standing experience as a member of the LDC leadership team, but also an important ‘outside-in’ view that will help us to adjust better the company’s operations to current market conditions and the opportunities of the future.”

Maserati has decided to leave the company to pursue other interests. He became COO in April 2018.

“I take this opportunity to thank Andrea for his big contribution to the company over the past 8 years and wish him all the best for the future,” said Margarita Louis-Dreyfus, chairperson of the Supervisory Board of LDC.

LDC also appointed Nigel Mamalis Global Head of Risk & Compliance. Mamalis has held various senior executive roles since joining LDC in 1988 and will now contribute his long business and company experience to LDC’s management team.

“I am also delighted to welcome on board Nigel Mamalis,” said Margarita Louis-Dreyfus. “His extensive experience in risk management and compliance will be an important asset for our company.”

The company made a third appointment of Michel Demaré, a member of LDC’s board since April 2014, as deputy chairman of the Board.

“I also wish to thank Michel Demaré for his long-standing commitment and support to the LDC Board and to our company, and I look forward to working even more closely with him in the future,” said Margarita Louis-Dreyfus.

Ian McIntosh, CEO of the company, said, “As we face increasingly complex challenges, both as a company and an industry, I firmly believe that these organizational changes will allow us to better focus on our strategic and operational priorities. I have known and worked closely with Mike and Nigel for many years and am confident that they will help steer the company on the right path.”