PERTH, WESTERN AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA — Jimmy Wilson, chief executive officer of the CBH Group, plans to retire June 30.

Simon Stead, chair of CBH, said that after nearly four years with the cooperative, and with much of the change he was mandated to implement now completed, Wilson has decided it is the right time for him to move on to the next stage of his career.

“The CBH board will work to find an appropriate successor and embark on an internal and external, global search for the next CEO of the CBH Group,” Stead said. “We will run an open and thorough process to find the next leader of CBH and take the time needed to make the right choice.”

Wilson was appointed CEO in September 2017, bringing his expertise in supply chain operations to the group as the cooperative embarked on a generational investment in the CBH network.

Stead said the board would like to thank and acknowledge Wilson for his achievements during his tenure.

“Jimmy has overseen a relentless pursuit of better safety outcomes and substantial simplification of our systems and processes to drive clarity and accountability through the whole organization,” Stead said.

“There has been an emphatic focus on the core of the business, with CBH adding 2.5 million tonnes of additional storage to the network, completing 80 throughput enhancement projects and over 200 sustaining capital projects over the past three years.

“Jimmy has provided clear guidance to the CBH team through the introduction of a focused strategy and tactical plan, and safely guided the organization through the COVID-19 pandemic, ensuring the ongoing operations of the supply chain.”

Wilson thanked Stead and the board for their support as well as CBH’s employees, growers and community partners.

“One thing became clear to me when I started at CBH; the cooperative model is the right model for Western Australian grain growers,” Wilson said. “The effective and efficient functioning of the CBH supply chain is crucial to the livelihoods of our growers and regional communities.

“While we have turned our attention to improving our capacity to move grain to port and continue to maximize the value of the crop for growers, we have significantly improved our ability to receive bigger crops faster, allowing growers to get back to their paddocks faster and get on with harvest.

“The cooperative business model allows for this significant investment in the CBH network, as there is no value leakage to external shareholders. CBH also leverages its unique position to ensure growers are being offered competitive pricing for their grain and have access to competitive inputs.

“The growers of Western Australia have been extremely wise to maintain the cooperative model and as a result, now pay around half what their East Coast counterparts pay for storage and handing because of their foresight.”