MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, US — Retired COFCO executive Thomas Coyle has been appointed to the Ceres Global Ag Corp. board of directors, effective Oct. 1, Ceres announced Sept. 27.

In addition to Coyle’s role as an independent director, he will lead the board’s oversight of Ceres’ risk management and futures compliance. Coyle has more than 43 years’ experience working in agriculture and a proven track record of implementing strategic direction in trading, operations and market risk advisory. 

“We are pleased to welcome Tom to the board,” said James Vanasek, chairman of the Ceres board of directors. “As we continue to deepen relationships with our partners and further develop agricultural supply chain solutions for our customers, Tom’s long history of leadership and experience working across trading, marketing and facility management will be invaluable.”

Prior to retiring in 2019, Coyle was managing director of North America for COFCO International and was general manager for Nidera’s grain and oilseed business. He began his career at Continental Grain Co. where he rose to vice president of marketing and business development and vice president of origination, responsible for 51 grain facilities for its North American Grain Division. 

He has had numerous international assignments throughout his career, including president, Nidera Energy Canada in Calgary; managing director, Pentag/Nidera in Australia; managing director, Agridient BV in The Netherlands; and country manager, Canada for COFCO International in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. 

Coyle is a former chairman of the National Grain and Feed Association (NGFA), chairman of the NGFA’s Risk Committee and a member of the NGFA’s Executive Committee. He has been a member of numerous regulated futures markets in the US, including the Chicago Board of Trade, Minneapolis Grain Exchange and Kansas City Board of Trade, and has served as a member of the Commodities Futures Trade Commission’s (CFTC) Market Risk Advisory Committee and Agriculture Advisory Committee.