April 25, 2014
Louis Dreyfus Commodities BV is seeking a replacement CEO as part of a reorganization in preparation for a possible future initial public offering (IPO) or stake sale. Closely held Louis Dreyfus has been reorganizing management and realigning governance to the standards set for publically traded companies. The company’s profits fell by 34% in 2013 on lower commodity prices and reduced volatility. Price swings for products including oilseeds, wheat, rice, cotton, and green coffee slid 20% from 2012 when a drought in the U.S. drove up prices. The company plans to double asset holdings through a $4 billion investment into ‘mid-sized investments’ by 2018 and has raised funds through bonds listed in Singapore and Luxembourg. In October Louis Dreyfus formed a joint venture with Brooklyn Kiev LLC to develop and manage a multi-commodity terminal at the Black Sea port of Odessa, and went on to purchase Ilomar Holding NV, an owner of exchange-licensed cocoa and coffee warehouses.
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