Fresh del Monte Produce recently announced the appointment of attorney Effie Silva as its new Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary.

Silva, who will take over the legal department of this famous agricultural products company, replacing Marlene Gordon, recently served as director of global ethics and compliance at Cargill, the largest private company in the United States by revenue, and, prior to that, she was Associate General Counsel at Tyson Foods.

“People and safety first are two of Cargill's core values that I will take with me to Fresh Del Monte. The Covid-19 pandemic continues to test the character of corporations and executives throughout the world and Cargill rose to the occasion proving the resilience of authentic leadership in crisis. Thank you to all the inspirational leaders at Cargill and to the talented Law team working together to create value and protect the company,” Silva noted in a LinkedIn post announcing her new role.

It is important to note that Fresh Del Monte, which has its executive offices in Coral Gables, Florida, “shouldn’t be confused with former owner Del Monte Foods, although both companies use the same brand. Fresh Del Monte has the right to sell fresh fruit, vegetables and produce, while Del Monte Foods sells canned and preserved products,” it is pointed out by Law.com.

Silva also posted on her profile:

I look forward to working closely with the incredibly talented leadership team, Board, and legal team at Fresh Del Monte, as we continue our important work nourishing the world!

The lawyer, with more than 20 years of experience in international commercial business, also stressed that she is excited about her new position in the company. “Fresh Del Monte has nourished families around the globe for more than 135 years, as one of the world's leading vertically integrated producers, distributors and marketers of fresh and fresh-cut fruits and vegetables,” she ended.

Silva describes herself as a “pragmatic in-house legal strategist and business partner who thrives mitigating risk and ensuring a culture of compliance.”

Publicly traded Fresh Del Monte employs 45,000 workers and generates $4.3 billion in sales.