President of Yara Brazil Assumes World's Directorship of the Company

Current president of Yara Brazil and responsible for the activities of fertilizer distribution (Downstream) in the country, Lair Hanzen assumes the recently-created position of senior vice-president of Yara Global, with focus in Brazil – a post that will be held simultaneously with the presidency of the company in the country. Hanzen, who is the only non-European in the company and the first Brazilian to hold the post of global vice-presidency at Yara International, now will have to report to the global president and CEO of the company, Svein Tore Holsether, with a seat at the world directorship of the company.

The executive will be responsible for all of the operation of the company in the country, including the production division and distribution of fertilizers, the joint-venture with Galvani and all the strategic projects in Brazil. The elevation of Yara Brazil to the condition of global segment, reporting to the global CEO, and the naming of Hanzen are part of a series of organizational and management changes announced recently in Oslo, Norway.

Even though he assumed a new global position, Hanzen will remain headquartered in Brazil, confirming the commitment to Brazilian agriculture and aiming to strengthen the operational focus, the necessary alignment for the strategic direction and sustainable growth of the company.

Among the changes promoted globally are the establishment of a new segment of “Production”, which comprehends the old denomination of Upstream and also Ihara's mining activities. The Downstream segment now is denominated “Plant Nutrition” and will follow the strategy developed recently.

Professional trajectory

Hanzen entered into the segment of fertilizer in 1993 at Adubos Trevo S.A, where he acted in several management roles and participated in acquisition procedures. After that, he was CFO of Hydro Agri Argentina S.A. and Yara Brazil. In 2006, Hanzen was vice-president of Yara Brazil, where he led the Fertibrás acquisition, being promoted at the following year for president of the company. In 2009, Hanzen was named global CFO at the fertilizer production segment at Yara International ASA in Oslo, Norway, returning to Brazilian to buy Bunge Fertilizers in 2013 and 60% of share at Galvani Indústria, Comércio e Serviços S/A in 2014.

Hanzen is graduated on Business Administration by the Pontifical University of Rio Grande do Sul and post-graduated on Business Administration at the Lutheran University of Brazil and Human Resources at the University of Belgrano in Buenos Aires, Argentina.