BLBG:Noble Names Goldman’s Former Asia Head Alireza as Chief Executive Officer
Noble Group Ltd. (NOBL) named Yusuf Alireza, formerly co-president of Goldman Sachs Group Inc.’s Asia excluding Japan unit, as chief executive officer to lead Asia’s biggest commodity supplier.
Alireza will start in the role on April 16, Hong Kong-based Noble said today in a statement. Alireza replaces Noble chairman Richard Elman, who had been in the role since Ricardo Leiman resigned in November. Noble also said it appointed William Randall as a member of the board.
Leiman quit as CEO on Nov. 9, the day the company reported its first quarterly loss in about 14 years because of a downturn in its cotton and carbon trading businesses. The departure, which the company said was due to personal reasons, was at least the fourth senior manager in 12 months as Noble founder Elman looked for a successor.
“These appointments are part of Noble’s succession planning, and further strengthen our leadership as I prepare to reduce my day-to-day involvement,” Elman said in the statement. He stepped in as CEO after Leiman’s departure.
Noble rose 3.2 percent to S$1.44 at the close of trade in Singapore today.
To contact the reporter on this story: Michelle Yun in Hong Kong at myun11@bloomberg.net
To contact the editor responsible for this story: Rebecca Keenan at rkeenan5@bloomberg.net
