Major Australian fresh produce marketer MGroup today announced the appointment of Mano D Babiolakis as its new CEO.
Babiolakis, who will commence the role on 27 August, replaces Jeff Jackson, who resigned as CEO in June. His appointment was widely expected in the industry, with observers noting that there were very few candidates with the executive experience and strategic oversight required to run the company.
Chairman of MGroup Oscar Chow described the announcement as an exciting one for the future of the company.
“Mano is an executive of high calibre. He has extensive knowledge within the international and Australian fruit and vegetable industry. He brings the energy and expertise to lead Mgroup through the next phase of its development,” said Chow.
“Together with the current executive team, we think we are well placed to continue growing as a market leader in the Australian fruit and vegetable landscape.”
Mano’s experience in the fresh produce business spans more than three decades. His previous roles include CEO of Chiquita Brands South Pacific/CostaExchange; executive director of Fresh Produce Group; and more recently executive director of Valleyfresh Australia. Babiolakis has also been instrumental in completing a number of significant transactions and greenfield projects both in Australia and internationally.
Produce Plus understands that Jackson’s departure in June followed a year of tough trading conditions for MGroup, with results that fell below expectations, so one of the immediate priorities for Babiolakis is likely to be lifting the group’s financial performance.
