Stephan Weist, managing director of Chiquita Germany & Austria and formerly the group's business director for Central Europe, is to leave the company on 1 July, acccording to a report published on the website of German industry publication Fruchthandel.
'After a number of successful years with Chiquita, where I've felt very happy, I now want to seek out new challenges,' said Mr Weist, who has worked for the fresh produce company since 2000 and has been heavily involved in Chiquita's recent market repositioning in Europe.
Mr Weist will be replaced by Ernst Schulte, who joined Chiquita from Unilever Germany in an interim capacity at the start of 2009 and was previously buying director of Unilever Foods as well as business director of German firm Food Marken.
Mr Schulte will report directly to Patrick Wauters, vice-president of Chiquita North-East.
'We are pleased that in Mr Schulte we have gained a sales and marketing professional with experience of the grocery industry,' said Mr Wauters, adding: 'Ernst will guarantee us continuity in our core markets of Germany and Austria, as well as helping us continue the succcessful innovation and transformation of our business model towards value-added optimisation for all of our partners.'
Ralph Hugel, Chiquita's country manager for Switzerland, and Stefan Zanders, director of Antwerp-based subsidiary Fresh Select Northern Europe, will now also report directly to Mr Wauters.
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