SIAT Group Celebrates Legacy, Leadership and People Behind the Group’s Journey

SIAT Group recently organized a celebratory event to honor its legacy, leadership, and the individuals who contributed to its growth. The event, held under the theme "Legacy, Leadership & the Future," was attended by founding family members, retired Directors, Board members, company executives, financial partners, and other stakeholders.

The evening served as a reflection on the Group's history and a recognition of those who built and sustained the business, emphasizing the continuity of a legacy that has evolved over generations, countries, and communities.

The Vandebeeck family, whose entrepreneurial vision established SIAT, was the focal point of the celebration. SIAT, incorporated in Belgium in 1991 under Pierre Vandebeeck's leadership, began operations in Africa with the acquisition of Presco in Nigeria that same year. The Group further expanded its presence across the continent, acquiring Ghana Oil Palm Development Company in 1995.

Rasheed Sarumi, Group Chief Executive Officer, Saroafrica International Limited and Chairman, Presco Plc, emphasized that the event was not merely a celebration but a tribute to the milestone achievements of the Group. He expressed gratitude to those who built the company, served it, and those who continue to carry its vision forward.

Marie Vandebeeck, speaking on behalf of the founding family, highlighted that the SIAT Group's success was built on people, particularly in regions where success required more than capital and ambition. She underscored the importance of believing in the future, a philosophy that became the DNA of SIAT and was particularly evident in Presco.

Adewale Arikawe, Group Chief Executive Officer, SIAT Group, discussed the responsibility of the current leadership to expand on the foundations laid by previous generations. He affirmed the Group's commitment to becoming an integrated agriculture business, sustainably growing, processing, and marketing agricultural resources to create value for its people and shareholders.

The Group's operations, spanning plantation development, cultivation, processing, and downstream activities, employed over 17,000 people and supported thousands of smallholder farmers and rural communities in Nigeria and Ghana. For more information, readers were directed to the Group's official websites.