Barry Callebaut has announced the appointment of Hein Schumacher as Chief Executive Officer, effective January 26, 2026. Based in Zurich, Switzerland, Schumacher brings extensive global leadership experience across food, FMCG, and consumer brands to the world’s leading chocolate and cocoa solutions provider.
In his new role, Schumacher will lead Barry Callebaut’s global operations and strategic agenda, steering the company through its next phase of growth while strengthening its leadership in sustainable chocolate, innovation, and customer-centric solutions across international markets.
Prior to joining Barry Callebaut, Schumacher was associated with Unilever, where he served as Chief Executive Officer from 2023 to 2025, guiding the global consumer goods major through a period of strategic transformation and portfolio focus. Before Unilever, he spent nearly nine years at Royal FrieslandCampina, first as Chief Financial Officer and later as Chief Executive Officer, where he played a key role in reinforcing financial discipline, improving operational performance, and strengthening global market positioning.
Earlier in his career, Schumacher held several senior leadership roles at HJ Heinz (now part of Kraft Heinz), including Zone President – Asia Pacific, President – Greater China, Vice President & Chief Strategy Officer, and Vice President & CFO – Continental Europe. These roles provided him with deep exposure to international markets, large-scale operations, and complex transformation initiatives. He also held finance and controlling roles at Ahold and earlier served as Finance Manager at Unilever, building a strong foundation in global finance and strategy.
Since 2025, Schumacher has been active as an investor in the food & beverage, agriculture, and branded consumer sectors and currently serves as a board member at SmaXtec, reflecting his continued engagement with innovation-driven businesses.
About Barry Callebaut
Barry Callebaut is the world’s leading solutions provider of high-quality chocolate and cocoa products, reporting annual sales of approximately CHF 14.8 billion in fiscal year 2024/25. Headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland, the Group operates 60+ production facilities worldwide and employs more than 13,000 people. Serving customers across the entire food industry—from global manufacturers to artisanal and professional clients—Barry Callebaut is committed to making sustainable chocolate the norm through initiatives such as the Cocoa Horizons Foundation.
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