CIUS sugar organisation appoints Mars Wrigley’s Yuriy Sharanov as group president
Various types of sugar, brown sugar and white on wooden background
The Committee of European Sugar Users (CIUS) has named Yuriy Sharanov, senior strategic sourcing manager at Mars Wrigley, as its president, with Torben Vestergaard Nielsen, of Orkla, becoming vice president, writes Neill Barston.
They were were appointed at a general assembly of the organisation in Brussels, with the appointments being for a two-year period, as the incoming head of the group noting that there remained significant challenges within the sector.
As previously reported by Confectionery Production, high sugar prices within Europe have caused major concern to confectionery and wider food market manufacturers during the past two years, with deficits in supplies worsened by the ongoing war in Ukraine.
Upon his appointment, Sharanov addressed the key sugar deficit issue, including a need for more access to imports to help Europe overcome sugar shortages. Notably, he criticised what the organisation believes are restrictive sugar import policies within the EU, which include high tariffs and quotas that hinder access to white quality sugar.
He confirmed that CIUS would continue to advocate for policy change to ensure sustainable sugar supplies within the region, which he stated “would be for the benefit of all,” and forms a core element of its mission as an organisation.
Moreover, as previously reported, the group recently offered a cautious welcome an EU decision that would maintain supplies from Ukraine, with plans to continue support imports from the war-affected nation, which the sugar organisation believed had continued to play an integral role in its industry infrastructure.
In other developments at the CIUS general assembly, Muriel Korter, who has served as its director general for the past 15 years, has stepped down from her position and will now take on the role of Treasurer for a two-year term. The organisation confirmed Mayssa Vandevyvre, as her replacement.
After his appointment, Sharanov expressed gratitude for the continued trust placed in him by CIUS members in his appointment. He commented: “I would like to thank the CIUS membership for re-electing me to be their President.”
He also praised Muriel Korter for her invaluable contributions to CIUS over the past 15 years, noting her instrumental role in CIUS’s development and success. “Muriel has been instrumental in the development of CIUS and its work over the last 15 years. I welcome Mayssa and look forward to continue working with her.”
As the organisation explained, Yuriy Sharanov brings over 16 years of R&D and procurement experience in the FMCG sector, with more than a decade of direct involvement in the sugar market. In his current position at Mars Wrigley, he oversees global sugar sourcing and price risk management. Previously, he managed Mars’ global sourcing strategy for starch sweeteners. Sharanov holds a PhD in Bioorganic Chemistry.
