JBS Announces CEO Succession Plan
International food company JBS, which manufactures the Friboi, Seara, Swift, Pilgrim’s Pride, Moy Park, Primo and Just Bare brands, among others, has announced Wesley Batista Filho will become global CEO in January 2027 as part of a planned leadership transition.
He takes over for Gilberto Tomazoni, who is stepping down after spending 14 years at the company — eight of those in the global CEO role. During his tenure, Tomazoni led the company through investments in biotechnology, a listing on the New York Stock Exchange and portfolio growth strategies with expansion into new protein categories.
Tomazoni will continue to serve in an advisory role as chairman of the board of Pilgrim's Pride Corp., chairman of the J&F Institute (dedicated to developing the next generation of business leaders) and vice chairman of the JBS board.
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Batista Filho joined JBS 15 years ago. In that time, he held roles across the company's global operations, including CEO of JBS Brazil and president of Seara. Most recently, he was CEO of the company's Americas business.
Tomazoni said that Wesley has a track record of success at JBS and knows the business deeply.
"Over the past three years, he has led JBS in the United States, where we generate more than half of our revenue, building a stronger, more competitive business and delivering important strategic advances across our operations," he said. "I'm confident he is the right leader to guide JBS through its next chapter."
