Driscoll’s names Daniel Mathieson as President of the Americas

US – Driscoll’s, a global market leader in the produce industry, has appointed Daniel Mathieson as President of the Americas.

A veteran agribusiness executive, Mathieson will steer the largest business unit for Driscoll’s, overseeing all aspects of the enterprise, from strategic planning to financial success.

His strategic vision and capability-building initiatives are expected to drive the growth momentum that established Driscoll’s among America’s Top Ten Retail Grocery Brands.

Mathieson transitions from his CEO role at Zespri, the world’s largest kiwifruit company, with multi-billion-dollar annual sales which have grown significantly during his almost seven years in the position.

 Among his many accomplishments during his 21-years at Zespri was implementing a demand-led strategy with a focus on consumer insights, distributor and retailer partnerships and marketing excellence which has seen Zespri continue to grow both volume and value.

He sharpened the focus on accelerating the innovation pipeline, sustainability outcomes and digital platforms, helped grow the Zespri brand to one of the largest in fresh produce and passionately drove the Zespri culture focused on finding great people and supporting them to deliver outstanding results. 

In his CEO role, he held positions in operations, sales, marketing, and business development across Zespri based out of Asia and Europe.

Zespri Chairman Bruce Cameron says Dan leaves as a world-class CEO who has helped turn Zespri into a leading sales and marketing company and with the industry well positioned to continue to succeed.

“Under Dan’s exceptional leadership Zespri grew sales from almost $2.3 billion in 2016/17 to a peak just over USD 4 billion in 2021/22 prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, with that growth set to continue in the coming years,” stated Cameron.

“Through that time, he demonstrated his ability to bring talented people together, to set and execute strategy and ultimately to deliver great outcomes for the industry.”

Soren Bjorn, Driscoll’s CEO expressed his delight in welcoming Daniel to Driscoll’s.

“His exceptional leadership at Zespri, a company we admire, is a testament to his strategic acumen and dedication to driving success in the produce industry,” he said.

“Dan is a values-based leader, which made him an ideal candidate for this important role. He balances forward-looking, operational agriculture excellence with a clear track record of creating sustainable shareholder value.”

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