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Tim Goodacre, former chief executive of international kiwifruit marketer Zespri Group and a leading figure in the Australasian agribusiness sector, has returned to the fresh produce industry as chairman of Mr Apple, New Zealand’s largest apple grower. Goodacre, who led Zespri for more than four years until his departure in March 2007, had originally declared on leaving the group that he would seek another senior corporate role before stepping out of business entirely, but Eurofruit can reveal he has been working as Mr Apple’s new chairman for the past few months. A filing signed by Goodacre and submitted by Anthony Harper to New Zealand’s Companies Office on behalf of Mr Apple confirmed the appointment started on 15 February 2012.

Chile’s Fruit Growers’ Federation (Fedefruta) has elected a new president for 2012-2014. Cristián Allendes Marín has taken on the top spot at the association, replacing outgoing Antonio Walker Prieto. Marín has been a director of Fedefruta since 2002, explained the organisation’s general manager, Juan Carlos Sepúlveda Meyer, in a press statement.

The Tucumán Citrus Association (ATC) in Argentina has announced on its website the appointment of a new general manager. Paula María Rovella, an agronomic engineer who was born and educated in Tucumán, has been selected to lead the organisation. Rovella replaces the outgoing Bartolomé Del Bono.

Tesco is to make management changes to several international operations. Jeff Adams, chief operating officer at Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market, is to take up the position of chief executive officer at Tesco Kipa in Turkey. That move means that the current Turkey CEO Paul Ritchie will transfer to a new position as CEO of Tesco China.

Damco has divided its European operations into two separate regions, East and West Europe. As a result, the logistics group has appointed its global chief financial officer Nicholas Kyrzakos as the East Europe division’s new ceo, with Flemming Frost remaining CEO of the West Europe division.

Georges Plassat, who took over as ceo of French retailer Carrefour this month, has chosen to let two senior staff members leave the company without replacing them. The executives were named as chief commercial and marketing officer Jose Carlos Gonzalez-Hurtado, who is a member of the executive board, and group marketing director Patrick Rouvillois.