Incoming Novus International President and CEO Dan Meagher discusses strategy for the future
While attending 2020 edition of the International Processing & Production Expo (IPPE), I met with Novus International’s incoming president and CEO, Dan Meagher. Drawing from his long and varied career in the poultry and feed industries, it’s apparent he has his sights set on leading the company into the future.
Meagher, who previously served as Novus’s president of global animal nutrition solutions from 2007 to 2013, brings a clear vision for how the company will grow and bring new innovations online moving forward: strategic acquisitions.
“There is an immense amount of money now funneling into ag tech which is, in my opinion, an indication of the number of projects and technologies coming forward in concept that I think [Novus] has an opportunity to start evaluating,” he says.
Meagher aims to identify and invest in opportunities that will add value for customers and have the potential to “become a foundation for the R&D group to continue to develop new products that will make a difference in the marketplace.”
He believes this type of investment holds the most promise, as appropriate transitional acquisitions are rare.
“We’re looking for the right technologies, ones that have already been de-risked, and fit the platforms that align with our strengths – gut health, immunity, nutrition – to find the ones that compliment what we already have,” he says. “If you find the right technologies, they should be able to generate additional products and solutions to strengthen R&D so we’re a step ahead rather than investing five years to hope we hit on the right concept to go forward.”
According to Meagher, effort will be put into technology assessment and scouting.
“They’re out there, you just have to find them and accelerate them to the marketplace,” he says.