The establishment of an Advisory Board with Ignacio González with Chair of the Board (himself a former CEO of Grupo Nueva Pescanova and independent director of Grupo Pascual) has recently been announced by Patatas Meléndez. The board will consist of individuals with distinguished backgrounds in several fields.

“The Advisory Board aims to provide an external and strategic vision to the company’s management, as well as advise the company on key issues such as internationalization, digitalization, social responsibility or talent management,” according to a recent press release.

By leveraging the potential presented by the agri-food industry, Patatas Meléndez hopes to expand internationally and solidify its leadership position in the domestic market. The aforementioned Council is led by the company’s CEO, Javier Meléndez, and it commenced operations on January 1, 2024.

Among its members is Julio Audicana, a professor with expertise in retail and food service and deputy general director of San Telmo Business School. Audicana has worked for the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Food his entire career. He has also attended meetings of the European Commission’s High-Level Group on the competitiveness of the European agri-food sector.

José Antonio Latre is a partner at EY-Parthenon with over thirty years of experience in the consulting industry. His areas of expertise are retail and consumer strategy. His goal is to make his clients and teams more competitive. He has had a similar role in the past at other sizable international firms including PwC and KPMG.

Among the members of this Council is Bill Derrenger, a manager with expertise in the retail industry and Senior Advisor to numerous businesses. Derrenger has led organizations including the Osborne Group and the Kellogg Company. He has also worked on brand development, innovation, and distributor and customer loyalty projects in eleven different countries.

Pedro Gato, on the other hand, is an independent director of multiple businesses, including Metalships & Docks SAU and Rodman Boats, as well as a partner in Parangon Partners. Pedro Gato has also held positions as director of Cemusa’s operations and director of Hilti’s retail division.

Recall that the Meléndez business group held a 20% market share in the fresh potato industry when it finished the previous year with a turnover of EUR120m. Its next goals include expanding into more countries in northern and eastern Europe, diversifying its export markets, and making the most of all the advances made in the new facility to attain total quality.

“At Patatas Meléndez we are convinced that all the professionals on the Advisory Board will actively contribute to the company facing the challenges and opportunities that arise in the food sector. fresh potato thanks to its global and strategic vision. “His work will be essential to strengthen our leadership position,” Javier Meléndez mentioned, expressing his pride in having this new advisory body.