MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, U.S. — Bernard Poussot, retired chairman, chief executive officer and president of Wyeth, has been elected to the Cargill board of directors, the company announced on Sept. 14.

"Bernard's many years of experience in leading Wyeth's global pharmaceutical and health care businesses will bring valuable insights and make him a strong addition to Cargill’s board," said Greg Page, Cargill chairman and chief executive officer.

Poussot joined Wyeth in 1986 as general manager of Wyeth France. He became head of Wyeth Europe in 1991, president of Wyeth-Ayerst International in 1996, and, a year later, president of Wyeth Global Pharmaceuticals. In 2006, Poussot was elected president, and, in 2007, was appointed chief operating officer and elected to the Wyeth board of directors. He served as chairman of the board, chief executive officer and president from 2008 until Wyeth's acquisition by Pfizer in October 2009.

Poussot graduated from Ecole Superieure de Commerce de Paris. He serves on the board of the Eisenhower Fellowships and is a member of the New York Academy of Medicine.

Poussot joins five other independent directors on Cargill's board: Richard H. Anderson, chief executive officer of Delta Air Lines, Inc.; Arthur D. Collins, Jr., retired chairman and chief executive officer of Medtronic, Inc.; Linda Zarda Cook, former executive director of Royal Dutch Shell plc; S. Curtis Johnson, chairman of Diversey, Inc.; and Richard M. Kovacevich, chairman emeritus of Wells Fargo & Company.

Michael W. Wright, former chairman of SUPERVALU INC., departed from the Cargill board of directors after 18 years of distinguished service to the company.