ZURICH, Switzerland – Barry Callebaut has announced changes in its Executive Committee. After successfully serving as the Group’s Chief Operations Officer (COO) since September 1, 2019, Olivier Delaunay has decided to leave Barry Callebaut for personal reasons. The Board of Directors has appointed Barry Callebaut’s current President Asia Pacific and member of the Executive Committee, Jo Thys, as new COO, effective January 1, 2023.
“The Board of Directors and the Executive Committee would like to thank Olivier Delaunay for his impactful contribution to Barry Callebaut’s growth journey, and in particular for his leadership in successfully driving an integrated operational footprint,” said the company in a statement.
Jo Thys (born 1972, Belgian national) has been President Asia Pacific and member of the Group’s Executive Committee since July 1, 2021. Under his leadership the Region accelerated its growth and expanded its operational footprint to Australia.
Jo Thys has been with Barry Callebaut for 25 years. He started as a graduate trainee with the Group in 1997 and held several positions in Operations in Region EMEA before moving to the US in 2006 as Vice President Operations and Supply Chain for Region Americas. He moved back to Europe in 2010, where in his role as Vice President Operations and Supply Chain Global Cocoa, he supported the integration of Delfi, the Cocoa Ingredients Division from Singapore-based Petra Foods, into the Group in 2013.
From 2017 to 2021, Jo Thys served as Vice President Cocoa Africa, with additional responsibility for Africa, Middle East and Türkiye. Jo Thys holds an Electromechanical engineering degree from Group T University College of Leuven, Belgium. (see separate bio for further details)
Peter Boone, CEO of the Barry Callebaut Group said:
“Olivier successfully accomplished what he set out to as COO, which is that our network of factories continues to offer our customers more cost effective solutions delivered in a reliable way. I wish Olivier all the best in his future steps.
I am delighted to welcome Jo Thys as Barry Callebaut’s new COO. Jo is a home grown talent. By leading for Barry Callebaut a number of strategic roles across three continents, Jo Thys combines a profound knowledge of operations and supply chains with deep business insights.
Furthermore, Jo is a strong believer in the business case for sustainability, as well as gender and cultural diversity. Jo’s appointment will ensure a smooth handover and continued operational excellence.”
Barry Callebaut will announce in due time who will succeed Jo Thys as President Asia Pacific.
