SÃO PAULO — JBS announced on Aug. 11, Wesley Batista Filho would assume the role of global chief executive officer for the meat company starting in January 2027.

Batista Filho succeeds Gilberto Tomazoni, who will step down after 14 years with the company and eight years as global CEO. Tomazoni will oversee the leadership change during the next five months before working as vice chairman of the board and senior advisor. He will also continue serving as chairman of the board for Pilgrim’s Pride Corp., and chairman of J&F Institute.

“I’m honored to take on this responsibility and build on the extraordinary work accomplished by Tomazoni during his tenure as CEO,” Batista Filho said. “Having worked alongside him for more than a decade, Tomazoni and I have built a great working relationship and a shared vision – grounded in the company’s values. Our priorities remain clear: supporting our team members, serving our customers and producer partners, operating with excellence and creating long-term value for our shareholders.”

Since 2023, Batista Filho has served as CEO of JBS USA, where he’s led the company’s 60 beef, pork, poultry, prepared foods and other food production facilities and 70,000 employees in 31 states.

Batista Filho began with the company as a trainee at the Greeley, Colo., beef plant in 2011 before moving to São Paulo to work in the beef export division. He then held several positions including president of JBS Canada, president of the JBS USA Fed Beef Division, CEO of Seara and CEO of JBS Brazil.

Batista Filho is the son of Wesley Batista, former CEO of the company, who rejoined the board in 2024.

Tomazoni started working at JBS in 2013 as global president of the poultry business and eventually went on to become president of Seara and other high executive roles at the company.

“It has been an honor to lead this great company over the past eight years,” Tomazoni said. “JBS is stronger, more diversified and better positioned for the future than at any point in its history. With a strong leadership team, a clear strategy and exceptional businesses around the world, I believe this is the right time for the company to begin its next chapter under Wesley's leadership.”

While Tomazoni led JBS as global CEO, he saw revenue grow from $49.7 billion to $86.2 billion through the expansion of new protein categories, value-added products, investment in biotechnology, and the listing of the company on the New York Stock Exchange, among other achievements.

Ryan McCarthy is the digital media editor for MEAT+POULTRY. He has been at Sosland Publishing Company since 2016, covering the industry and managing the digital media channels of the publication. He also writes and edits web stories, images, videos and podcasts about the meat industry. McCarthy has a bachelor's degree in journalism from the University of Kansas.

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