Ronan Lennon, the ex-MD of Capespan UK, is poised to make a dramatic return to the South African-owned group when he takes up a new role as MD of the company’s Capespan Exports division, according to Eurofruit.
He replaces Abrie de Swardt, who had been in charge of the division since his appointment in mid-January. Based in Cape Town, it is understood that Lennon will lead the company’s South African procurement and export operations, bringing with him a huge amount of experience from a 30-year career with both Capespan and its predecessor Unifruco.
His appointment will come as a surprise to many in the trade, coming just over a year after he departed Capespan’s UK subsidiary.
That decision to leave followed the UK division’s relocation from its base at the Port of Sheerness to a new HQ in Maidstone, Kent.
In other news ex-Capespan executive director Ben Ward has been appointed chief executive of the agribusiness division of industrial conglomerate Lonrho, a key supplier of African fresh produce to markets around the globe.
Ward, who has also previously worked for AMC Grupo, will lead the planned expansion of Lonrho’s agribusiness operation, which sources and supplies fresh fruit, vegetables and salads from countries across Africa including South Africa, Kenya, Namibia and Zimbabwe, from the group’s Johannesburg office.
“We are delighted Ben is joining the senior management team at Lonrho,” commented Lonrho’s chief executive Geoffrey White. “His in-depth experience in the produce market from production through logistics to interfacing with global retailers means he is perfectly matched to Lonrho’s business model of providing the route to market for delivering African produce to the growing consumer base in Africa and to the increasing number of the world supermarkets that are turning to Africa as an essential source of produce to fill their shelves.”
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