Er ging in Zuoz ins Internat, jetzt soll er den grössten Fleischkonzern der Welt in Brasilien führen
Nach fast zehn Jahren übernimmt wieder ein Familienmitglied die Führung des brasilianischen JBS-Konzerns. Auf Wesley Batista Filho wartet ein schwieriges Familienerbe.
Wesley Batista Filho, a 34-year-old member of the Brazilian JBS meat processing giant's family, is set to assume the role of Global CEO in early 2027. This marks the return of a family member to the top position after nearly a decade. Batista Filho's journey began with a decade-long education in Switzerland, including a stint at the Lyceum Alpinum in Zuoz, where he pursued subjects like economics and epistemology.
His taste for outdoor activities led to a romance with Natalia, his future wife, whom he met in Engadin. After beginning his career in North American slaughterhouses at age 19, Batista Filho's path led him to become a key figure in JBS, overseeing operations in Uruguay, Paraguay, Canada, and the North American ruminant sector. He was appointed as Global President of Operations in 2022, at just 30 years old, and has since been leading JBS USA, the largest business within the conglomerate.
Despite the family's history of controversies, including corruption scandals and prison time for Batista Filho's father and uncle, the conglomerate continues to thrive. JBS employs 280,000 people and serves 180 markets worldwide, with half of its revenue coming from the United States. The company generates $86.2 billion annually and netted $2.2 billion in 2025.
As the new CEO, Batista Filho will face the challenge of maintaining the company's growth in the face of a recent 20% decline in stock value over the past five months.
Written by urgent.news from NZZ Wirtschaft's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
