Agricultural trading giant Louis Dreyfus Commodities BV said it has appointed former Viterra CEO Mayo Schmidt as chief executive officer, ending a year-and-a-half-long search.
The choice of Mr. Schmidt, an outsider who spent most of his career in the U.S. and Canada, signifies a change for the closely held family company, which has traditionally promoted staff internally. The move, disclosed Friday, has also fed industry speculation that Louis Dreyfus is preparing itself for an eventual public offering.
Between 2006 and 2013, Louis Dreyfus’s revenue quadrupled. The company has said it wishes to double its revenue over the next four years.