To keep up to date with the latest personnel changes across the seafood industry, SeafoodSource is compiling a regular round-up of hiring announcements and other personnel-related shifts worldwide. If you have an announcement, please send it to [email protected].
– Bangkok, Thailand-based seafood producer Thai Union Group hired three new executive positions; Ratiporn Ratcharoen as chief financial officer (CFO), Daniel Laverick as chief digital officer, and Sumit Narang as chief strategy and transformation officer.
Narangt and Laverick will start 1 August 2026, and Ratcharoen will start 17 August 2026.
The company cited the new hires as instrumental for reaching Strategy 2030 goals of revitalization and growth.
“Strategy 2030 sets a clear direction for Thai Union’s next phase of growth, and these appointments strengthen the leadership capabilities we need to deliver it," Thai Union Group President and CEO Thiraphong Chansiri said in a release. "Ratiporn Ratcharoen, Daniel Laverick, and Sumit Narang each bring deep international experience in advancing broad transformation programs to achieve best-in-class performance in their respective domains. Together, they will help us build a more forward-looking, performance-focused, and digitally enabled Thai Union, with the capabilities needed to compete and grow in a rapidly changing global market.”
Ratcharoen will lead Thai Union’s financial strategy and operations as CFO, looking to "build a more forward-looking, disciplined, and data-driven finance function" through several metrics such as "strengthening performance management, improving capital allocation, modernizing forecasting and business intelligence, and enabling better decision making." Prior to Thai Union Group, she worked in senior leadership positions at Osotspa, East-West Seed, Diageo, PepsiCo, and Minor International. She replaces former CFO Ludovic Garnier, who moved to the managing director of finance for Thai Union's Ambient Branded business.
Narang will work with the CEO and business leaders to implement goals from Strategy 2030 while identifying areas for growth. His prior work experience includes more than 20 years at Walmart, McKinsey and Company, and C.K. Birla Group.
Laverick will work on Thai Union's enterprise-wide digital technology agenda, the release said, transitioning to a digital-first approach with data-driven, artificial intelligence capabilities. This will include "modernizing technology platforms, scaling automation and advanced analytics, and ensuring digital capabilities to customers globally." His prior work experience includes more than 25 years in enterprise digital transformation in senior leadership roles at Etihad Airport Services (now Velora), Zuellig Pharma, and Albatha Group.
– Glasgow, Scotland-based research nonprofit organization Ethical Seafood Research (ESR) announced Ruth Garcia Gomez as an incoming member of the advisory board.
“An aquatic veterinarian with more than two decades of practical experience, Ruth's expertise spans aquatic animal health, fish welfare standards and aquaculture development across Europe and the Pacific,” ESR said on LinkedIn. “As the final member of the ESR Advisory Board, Ruth's vast experience and international perspective bring the missing piece to our work. We are excited to have Ruth’s guidance in strengthening our science-based approach to advocating for a more humane and sustainable aquatic food system.”
Garcia Gomez previously worked at the Cawthron Aquaculture Institute, the SPC Pacific Community, and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). She currently works as the aquaculture specialist for the World Bank’s AquaInvest Platform.
– Seattle, Washington, U.S.A.-based seafood nonprofit Genuine Alaska Pollock Producers (GAPP) announced Coastal Village Region Fund (CVRF) Chief Executive Officer Nick Souza is joining the GAPP board of directors, replacing Eric Deakin, who is retiring.
Souza previously worked as the director of sales and marketing for CVRF, GAPP said on LinkedIn, and brings more than 20 years of operational knowledge and industry relationships.
– Jersey City, New Jersey, U.S.A.-based Japanese seafood purveyor Yama Seafood recently appointed Ryo Hasegawa as culinary director.
Hasegawa is a chef, bringing more than 30 years of culinary experience to Yama Seafood. He spent 21 years as executive chef and corporate chef at the Nobu organization. Yama Seafood said in a release that Hasegawa's experience will help the family-owned company continue to grow in supplying premium sushi-grade seafood and Japanese specialty ingredients to restaurants, while also expanding culinary offerings and direct-to-consumer business.
“Chef Ryo’s knowledge of fish and his relationships with chefs after decades in some of the country’s top kitchens make him an incredible addition to our team,” Yama Seafood President Nobu Yamanashi said. “He understands exactly what chefs need, and that perspective is invaluable as we continue to grow our business and serve the highest quality of seafood.”
In the culinary director role, Hasegawa will oversee fish purchasing and quality standards for all restaurant and chef clients' direct-to-consumer offerings. He will also strengthen relationships with chefs across the U.S., work on educational materials with prospective clients, lead recipe development, support culinary programming, and lead sushi preparation and live tuna cutting demonstrations.
