Wal-Mart Exec Elected Chairman of Global Food Safety Initiative

PARIS — The Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI), managed by CIES The Food Business Forum here, announced yesterday that J.P. Suarez, senior vice president and general counsel, International Division, Wal-Mart Stores, has been elected to serve as GFSI chairman for a one-year term. He replaces Roland Vaxelaire, director of risk, responsibility and quality, Carrefour Group.

In addition, Yves Rey, corporate quality general manager, Danone Group, and Cindy Jiang, director, worldwide quality, food safety and nutrition, McDonald’s USA, have been elected to serve as vice-chairs for a two-year term.

The GFSI was set up in 2000 to pursue continuous improvement in food safety management systems, cost-efficiency in the supply chain and safe food for consumers worldwide. GFSI now incorporates four major food safety management schemes (BRC, Dutch HACCP, IFS and SQF) and has been endorsed by eight major international retailers (Carrefour, Delhaize, Metro, Migros, Royal Ahold, ICA, Tesco and Wal-Mart).

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