JBS, the world’s largest meat company, named Wesley Batista Filho as global chief executive officer effective Jan. 1, 2027, returning a member of its founding family to the top job after eight years under Gilberto Tomazoni.
Batista Filho, 34, has spent 15 years at the company founded by his grandfather, José Batista Sobrinho. He has led JBS USA, the group’s most important business, for three years as the U.S. meatpacking industry grapples with a severe cattle shortage.
The succession has been planned for more than two years and comes as JBS expands into new proteins and markets. Tomazoni, 67, will leave day-to-day operations but remain with the company.
“It is the right time for the transition. We are in a strong position, with ambitious plans and new growth fronts across proteins and geographies,” Tomazoni told The AgriBiz.
Last week, JBS announced one of the largest transactions in its history, opening a new avenue for growth in Southeast Asia. Indonesia’s sovereign wealth fund will invest $2.5 billion for a 25% stake in a joint venture with JBS, valuing the company’s assets in Australia and New Zealand at $10 billion on a post-money basis.
Batista Filho stressed continuity with Tomazoni, to whom he reported in roles across the company’s Brazilian and U.S. operations.
“This is a transition built on continuity. There is no change in strategy because I have been part of that strategy for the past 10 years,” Batista Filho told The AgriBiz.
Tomazoni Moves to Board
Tomazoni will become vice chairman of JBS’s board and remain chairman of Pilgrim’s Pride, the Nasdaq-listed U.S. chicken producer controlled by the Brazilian group.
He will also chair the J&F Institute, an organization created by the holding company of brothers Wesley and Joesley Batista to help develop the next generation of business leaders.
During eight years at the helm, Tomazoni helped transform JBS into a global poultry powerhouse. Revenue rose more than 70% during his tenure as CEO, from about $50 billion to more than $86 billion.
JBS also completed its long-sought New York Stock Exchange listing in 2025, after pursuing the move for more than a decade.
Tomazoni joined JBS on March 7, 2013, initially overseeing its global poultry strategy. A former Sadia and Bunge executive, he led the restructuring of Seara, lifting its margin from zero to more than 15% in less than a year and winning significant market share, creating a formidable rival to BRF.
The turnaround led to broader roles, including global chief operating officer and later CEO. He is due to hand over the top job to Batista Filho in about five months.
Batista Filho’s Path
Batista Filho joined JBS in 2011 and has held positions across the company’s global operations, giving him experience through different commodity cycles, from a poultry boom to the margin squeeze in U.S. meatpacking.
He has worked directly with Tomazoni over the past decade, reporting to him in several roles in Brazil and the United States.
This story was translated from the original Portuguese with the assistance of artificial intelligence and reviewed by The AgriBiz editorial staff.
