David Smales Will Succeed Geert Verellen as CFO of Maple Leaf Foods

Maple Leaf Foods, Inc. (TSX: MFI) has announced Geert Verellen’s decision to step down as CFO in the coming year, with David Smales named as his successor effective January 29, 2024. Maple Leaf Foods is a carbon-neutral company that employs approximately 14,000 individuals and conducts business primarily in Canada, Asia, and the U.S.

Smales brings extensive public company CFO experience, having served nearly 15 years as Executive Vice President and CFO at Aecon Group Inc. Preceding his tenure at Aecon, Smales held the CFO position at Catalyst Paper Corporation and amassed decades of international and transactional expertise at PricewaterhouseCoopers and Novar PLC. He is a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales and holds a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) degree from the University of Newcastle-Upon-Tyne in England.

Curtis Frank, President and CEO, remarked, “As we planned for this transition, finding the right successor for Geert was a critical priority for us. Geert has made a significant impact over the last four years, including playing an important role in leading us through one of the most ambitious capital investment programs in our history.  On behalf of the entire company, we thank Geert for his leadership and wish him all the best in the next phase of his career. In our search for a new CFO, we actively sought someone with David’s breadth of experience, blending strong financial acumen with long-term strategic planning skills and a deep understanding of Canadian capital markets. We are thrilled that David will be joining our Senior Leadership Team, and certain he will be a great addition to Maple Leaf Foods as we execute our strategic blueprint on the journey to becoming the most sustainable protein company on earth.”

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