Cobb-Vantress announces the appointment of three executives to its leadership team.
Will Sawyer
Will SawyerCobb-VantressWill Sawyer has been promoted to Vice President, Global Business Operations and Strategy. Since joining Cobb in December 2024 as Managing Director of Global Supply Chain and Strategy, Will has been instrumental in advancing key initiatives across the organization. In his expanded role, he will lead global planning, marketing, communications, and IT — driving alignment and innovation across these critical business functions.
Sawyer brings deep industry expertise, having held senior leadership roles at Tyson Foods, most recently as Senior Director of Strategy for the Poultry Segment. His background also includes serving as Lead Industry Analyst for Animal Protein at CoBank and holding leadership roles at Rabobank. He began his career as a Research Analyst at Credit Suisse, building a strong foundation in financial and strategic analysis.
Matilde Alfonso
Dr. Matilde AlfosoCobb-VantressDr. Matilde Alfonso joins Cobb as Vice President, Sales and Technical Services, bringing over 25 years of strategic and technical leadership in the poultry industry. Most recently, she served as Manager of Veterinary Technical Services at Ceva Animal Health, LLC. Her prior experience includes key leadership roles at Tyson Foods, including Director of Breeder & Hatchery Operations. Matilde’s extensive operational knowledge and global perspective will be pivotal in leading Cobb’s sales, technical services, quality assurance, and veterinary functions.
Leandro Farias
As Chris Lewellen, current Vice President of Finance & Accounting, prepares to retire after 27 years of dedicated service, Leandro Farias will assume the role of Managing Director, Finance and Accounting. Farias brings more than two decades of finance experience across the chemicals, automotive, food, and poultry genetics sectors. He joined Tyson in 2009 and later transitioned to Cobb-Vantress Brazil in 2015, where he has served as Director of Finance for operations in Brazil, Peru, and Colombia since 2019.
Leandro FariasCobb-Vantress“I am excited to announce Will and Leandro’s new roles and also welcome Matilde to our leadership team,” said Shelby Watkins, President of Cobb. “Their combined experience, strategic vision, and leadership will be vital as we continue to scale our global operations and deliver exceptional value to our customers and partners around the world.”
These appointments mark a significant milestone in Cobb’s evolution, reinforcing its position as a forward-thinking, globally integrated organization poised for long-term success.