Australian fresh-produce company Costa Group has appointed Marc Werner as its new chief executive officer, effective from 1 March 2024.
Werner joined Costa in August 2022, as the chief operating officer of Costa Group, and was appointed deputy CEO in July 2023, the company noted.
Interim chief executive Harry Debney noted that during Werner’s time with Costa, he has earned the respect of all with whom he has worked and established himself as someone recognised for his integrity, work ethic, and strong leadership abilities.
“The company looks forward to Marc’s leadership in further growing the business and achieving continued success. I wish him the very best for the future,” Debney added.
Earlier this week, a consortium led by Paine Schwartz Partners and comprising Driscoll’s and British Columbia Investment Management Corporation completed the acquisition of Costa Group.
Marc Werner
As the deputy CEO of Costa, Werner was responsible for leading all sales and operational activities across Costa’s farming, marketing and supply chain operations. He also oversaw relationships with key alliance partners across all categories.
Before joining Costa, he held senior executive positions at Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu, in Melbourne, and BMW Group, which included managing the Asia-Pacific region and leading BMW Group Australia/NZ as CEO and managing director.
Commenting on his new role, Werner said, “Given the long and successful history of the Costa business, I am honoured to have been appointed to such an important role, and it is a great privilege to follow in the footsteps of all those who have gone before me, including Harry [Debney], and Frank Costa.”
He holds a master’s in business administration from the University of Minnesota, USA, and a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) from the European Business School, Germany.
