The Board of Hans Merensky Holdings (HMH) and Westfalia Fruit Group (Westfalia) announced today that Chris Bush will be appointed Group CEO, effective 28 October 2024. Bush will take over from Acting Group CEO Rian du Toit, who will return to his role as Group CFO.

Chris Bush, a graduate of Manchester Business School and INSEAD, is a highly experienced international CEO with almost 40 years of experience, working across grocery retail. He has led vastly complex multinational organisations, driving both growth and turnaround across various geographies. He has a strong track record in leading people and operations, at scale.

Chris Bush

Most recently he was Divisional CEO of DFI Retail Group, South East Asia (formerly Dairy Farm Group), directing DFI Retail’s 1.500 stores across 7 countries. Prior to joining DFI Retail Group, Chris worked at Tesco Plc for 32 years, leading large-scale businesses in Asia, culminating in his position as the UK Managing Director. Throughout his career, Chris has lived and worked in Europe, the USA and Asia.

Announcing the appointment, HMH and Westfalia Fruit Group Chairman Dr. Khotso Mokhele said: “After an extensive global search process, the Board is delighted to welcome Mr. Bush as our new Group Chief Executive. Chris is a seasoned CEO with exceptional strategic capabilities, proven operational effectiveness, and strong experience in retail, as well as working across a breadth of different countries and cultures.”

Chris Bush said: “I am both honored and delighted to be joining an organization that is so clearly dedicated to innovation, product quality, and sustainability. I am inspired by the company’s stated mission to lead the way in addressing climate change by following in the footsteps of the company’s founder, Dr. Hans Merensky, to do good and contribute to a better planet for future generations.”

Mr. Bush concluded: “I am excited to meet our talented team, our customers, communities, and stakeholders around the world to listen and learn how together we can maximize our growth potential and build sustainable, long-term success.”