Paul ReenanPaul Reenan, currently Thai Union’s head of Northern Europe Ambient, in charge of John West, King Oscar and Rugen Fisch operations, has been tapped to become regional president for Europe. Responsible for commercial marketing, sales and service, he will report directly to Thiraphong Chansiri, chief executive officer of Bangkok-headquartered Thai Union.
The news came following the announcement that Elisabeth Fleuriot is retiring from her role as chief executive officer of Thai Union Europe to pursue other external opportunities.
Chansiri commented: “Elisabeth has been a strong and highly valued leader of our business in Europe. Her decision to leave after a career spanning four years has forced us to reflect on our organizational structure and examine how to further embed the ‘one Thai Union’ philosophy.”
Darian McBainAs such, Thai Union is introducing a new management committee structure in Europe as part of its global program to harmonize and streamline operations in all key regions. The new structure will organize the company to focus on four critical areas of commercial marketing: sales and service; supply chain management; finance and business services; and governance and legal affairs.
Working closely together, the new management committee will report directly into their relevant business functions in Thailand to ensure increased efficiencies and complete global alignment of all Thai Union operations. This operational structure is designed to improve effectiveness, allowing the company to grow talent and identify shared resources and services across all markets.
“As we continue to integrate recent European acquisitions into the business and further embed the ‘one Thai Union’ philosophy, we are confident that we have in place the right organization structure, coupled with a proven and highly effective management team. This will put our customers at the heart of our business and ensure we are in good shape to withstand current and future pressures in the global seafood industry,” said Chansiri.
Thai Union Group has been a supplier of frozen and canned seafood products to customers around the globe for almost 40 years. It employs over 46,000 people and ranks as the world’s largest producer of shelf-stable tuna, with annual sales exceeding THB 125 billion (US $3.7 billion), and is a major supplier of frozen shrimp.
Sustainability Efforts Praised
Meanwhile, the company has been recognized for its efforts in sustainability at the Ethical Corporation’s Eighth Annual Responsible Business Awards ceremony held recently at the Waldorf Hilton in London, England.
The event convened more than 200 leading figures in global responsible business. Judges examined organizations driving the worldwide agenda for sustainability and corporate responsibility in 2017.
Thai Union was shortlisted for two awards, including Sustainability Leader of the Year (Darian McBain) and Sustainability Report of the Year.
McBain, the company’s global director for sustainable development, was commended by judges for being “a leader who is unafraid to seize relationships when values are being compromised,” along with her role at the forefront of an “impressive range of initiatives, that suggest a broader, more holistic and integrated understanding of sustainability as encompassing both social as well as environmental issues,” according to a press release issued by Ethical Corporation.
Additionally, Thai Union was saluted for its most recent Annual Sustainability Report. Judges remarked: “Overall this company has been innovative in its use of SeaChange (the group’s sustainability strategy) and thoroughly explained how they report.”
The report details how Thai Union’s strategic approach to sustainability is transforming the way the seafood industry operates worldwide. It covers the sustainability progress journey across every aspect of its business: from how the company looks after the oceans to how it manages waste; from the responsibility Thai Union takes for its workers to building brighter futures for communities where the company operates.
