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MALAYSIA - Wilbur-Ellis Company hires Jonathan F. Wilson to lead Feed Asia Business

Business focused on bringing value and efficiency to feed production in Asia-Pacific
August 26, 2013

Wilbur-Ellis Company’s Feed Division, a marketer and distributor of value-added animal feed ingredients in North America and Asia-Pacific, announced that it has hired Jonathan F. Wilson to serve as managing director of its Feed Asia business.  Wilson has lived and worked in the region for over 20 years, most recently as chief operating officer of Gold Coin Group, a large Asia-based organization specializing in animal nutrition, genetic development, and commodity trading businesses.

“One of our primary goals in Asia is to support our customers’ efforts to achieve greater efficiencies in feed production; it’s not just about the quality products we bring, but our service and technical expertise as well,” said Wilson, managing director of Feed Asia. “Our focus is to help our partners reach their potential in this region.”

Wilson brings hands-on experience, strong regional networks, and a practical understanding of the feed industry in Asia, all of which will be critical to the growth of Wilbur-Ellis’ business.  Wilson’s new role will include leading Feed Asia’s geographic expansion efforts, which includes acquisitions, and improving the transparency of the supply chain, with a focus on safety, regulatory, and food security issues.   

In the last three years, Wilbur-Ellis has successfully brought its North America Feed business to Asia-Pacific, building a high-quality, innovative marketing and distribution company in the region.  The company has been operating in the region for over 100 years through its Connell Brothers Division.  

“There are many opportunities for Wilbur-Ellis in Asia, a market where we’ve held a reputation of trust and integrity for over a century,” said John Thacher, president and chief executive officer of Wilbur-Ellis. “Jonathan will be a key player in helping us seize new opportunities, and work toward becoming a valued partner for the marketing and distributing of value-added animal feed ingredients in Asia-Pacific.” 

During Wilson’s time at Gold Coin Group, he oversaw the company’s 29 industrial manufacturing and commercial locations research and development sites throughout Asia-Pacific.  He also oversaw the expansion of the business in the region through acquisitions and joint ventures.  

Before joining Gold Coin Group, Wilson worked at Imerys Asia-Pacific, a distributor of mineral-based specialty products for industrial applications.  At Imerys, he served as vice president and managing director for Asia and was responsible for the strategic direction of each business unit at the company.  Wilson also worked with Great Lakes Chemical and National Starch in various regional roles located in Asia-Pacific. Wilson earned a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from Catholic University, Washington D.C., and an M.B.A. from Rutgers University Executive Program, Singapore. 

“There are many exciting things happening with Wilbur-Ellis in Asia, and I’m thrilled to be part of such a dynamic company with rich history in this region,” Wilson added.  

Wilson will be based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.