Lance Kotschwar will lead the department in the US, Canada, Mexico, Europe, Australia and New Zealand. He will join the JBS USA leadership team, reporting directly to JBS USA president and CEO André Nogueira.
He will oversee the company’s global compliance policies and programs, including the code of conduct, whistleblower hotline, global anti-corruption policies, antitrust and competition law, trade compliance and conflict of interest policies.
Kotschwar has spent nearly a decade in the agriculture industry, implementing and managing compliance programs and regulatory issues, as well as nearly two decades of Federal legislative and regulatory experience with the US Department of Agriculture, and Congress.
“The appointment of Lance to lead our ethics and compliance efforts reinforces our long-standing commitment to conduct our business in an ethical, responsible manner,” Nogueira said. “Lance is an expert in agricultural regulatory policy and compliance and has extensive experience with the laws that govern the rules of conduct for our business today. We are honoured to add a professional of his calibre to our leadership team.”
Immediately prior to joining JBS USA and Pilgrim’s, Kotschwar served as the chief ethics and compliance officer and vice-president for government and industry affairs at commodity management firm The Gavilon Group.
In his new role, Kotschwar will work with the JBS USA Independent Advisory Board, which feeds into the executive leadership on corporate governance, government and regulatory affairs, commodity risk management and marketing.
“The members of the Advisory Board are pleased with the appointment of Lance Kotschwar as head of ethics and compliance,” said Harvey Pitt, CEO of Kalorama Partners, former chairman of the US Securities and Exchange Commission and member of the JBS USA Independent Advisory Board. “We look forward to working closely with Lance to strengthen ethics and compliance efforts, improve investor confidence and position the company for future opportunities. I commend the leadership shown by JBS USA and Pilgrim’s in this appointment.”
In November last year, JBS appointed Tim Schellpeper to lead its feedlot-fattened cattle business.