Philippe Huet

Background

About Philippe Huet

After mandatory military service, I was lucky enough to discover the world of agribusiness with my first job at a small Amsterdam-based trade house. To West Africa I went, learning to originate and later trade both cocoa and coffee beans. It didn’t take long to become addicted to visiting Africa, and to commit to a future in the world of commodities. Cargill was at that time already acknowledged to be one of the very best places to pursue a career in commodities. They invested significantly in their people, they gave them a lot of responsibility at a young age, and were pretty much best-in-class at trading and processing. Starting in Geneva with the World Trading Group, I later moved to various trading positions in Amsterdam, culminating in commercial responsibility for the European oilseed processing and distribution activities. At the 10-year mark with Cargill I moved back in to cocoa by joining their cocoa and chocolate business unit, renewing the fascination with Africa. Another 10 excellent years with Cargill: I was fortunate to put together and work with what was universally acknowledged to be the best team in the industry, and reporting to a generous and inspirational leader. Later projects include transformations at the Chinese state company COFCO, where Noble Agri and Nidera were joined to form the basis of COFCO International, at the French sugar beet company Tereos, which was transitioning from the EU quota regime to a liberalized and competitive market environment, and an interim management role at De Monchy Food company. These 30 years of experience have brought insights in all aspects of organizations, from small to sizeable, from simple to complex, and from stable to volatile. They have enabled me to recognize the importance of quality leadership, and the critical role an organization’s people have in the chosen strategy and commercial approach of a company. I am combining this understanding with assessment skills, creativity and rigorous project management at Kincannon & Reed to ensure excellence in the execution of a search for the right leader.