Andean Leadership

Andean Leaders who inspire us and provide the best for our region.

The Griffith Foods™ Central and South America leadership team is driven by a Shared Purpose and is committed to leading by example. Our leaders focus on the well-being of Griffith Foods™ employees, maintaining responsible management of the resources, and helping our customers succeed. Meet our leaders:

“We don’t think for today … we think for the future! What can we do differently that helps us fulfill our purpose, that positively transforms our family, our people, our products, our customers, our communities, our world”

— Zayda Martínez

Born in Bogotá and based in Medellin, Zayda is a Public Accountant graduated from the Javeriana University and brings with her the experience that has allowed her to work from a very young age in different sectors and in various countries such as Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, Brazil, the Dominican Republic, Trinidad and Tobago among others. Her training includes a Specialization in International Finance from Universidad Externado de Colombia and an MBA from UWI.

Her deep love for Colombia led her to finally settle in Medellin, where she assumed the financial direction since 2008 and then, in 2018, she assumed the General Management of the Andean region. From there, she is responsible for the profitable and sustained growth of the units in Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and all those business units established within the Andean region, ensuring a process of sustainability in the region.

Zayda, with her warm way of being and unmatched courage, is convinced that “together we can achieve everything“, with focus and with clear goals, but most importantly: with heart and passion. She permeates the company with that fair and necessary balance between reason and heart. She also constantly challenges us to transform our thinking to find solutions to what employees and customers will need tomorrow.

“My purpose and what I truly love is to see individuals and groups grow in talent, using my creativity and care. That is why I work for the stability of the team from a personal and professional point of view.”

— Marcela Atehortúa

Born and based in Medellin, she has been with the Griffith family since 2004, reaching a regional scope with her Central and South American Marketing team. Together with them, their mission is to empower the company to be strategic partners of our customers for the profitable growth of the company, leading the process of strengthening our capabilities.

Food Engineer with Specialization in Marketing and Master in Marketing and Commercial Management, she started with the project of a Marketing team in the company and manages every day with her energy, passion, creativity and joy to carry out great projects and ideas

Julián is a Production Engineer and has extensive experience since 2009 where he has been able to implement and nourish us at Griffith Foods, leading the company’s negotiations on a path that provides the best results for Griffith and its suppliers.

His outstanding work has scope beyond Colombia, where he is based, because by having a regional direction he can apply his knowledge and lead the best negotiations in Ecuador, Peru, Brazil, Costa Rica and other Central American countries.

Energetic, practical and fair, he knows that “no” can also be an answer if it allows us to find better opportunities and get the best out of each project.

“Focus, discipline and concentration along with a good ability to observe and listen to others, are the keys to being successful when facing the challenges”

— Francisco Escobar

The crucial task of maintaining the existing physical infrastructure and improving what we currently have is in charge of this Chemical Engineer born in San Antonio de Prado, a district of Medellin. Francisco, who has been part of Griffith Foods since 2000, not only leads an excellent team in Colombia, but is also in charge of the investment projects of the 3 plants that make up the Central and South American region.

Day by day he focuses on the personal and professional growth of the assigned work team in order to achieve continuous improvement and technological growth of the company. Charismatic, professional and focused, he will always work to apply in his life and transmit his personal touch to his group.

Since 2003, Juan Diego has placed his attitude of service in favor of the Operations area, solving from daily and unexpected challenges to managing large projects and planning the operational success of the company. Born and based in Medellin, he brings his excellence to the regional level, leading the Supply Chain area: supply, planning, warehouses, customer service, manufacturing and foreign trade.

Production Engineer by profession, he will always receive any friend, colleague or coworker with his best phrase, looking for a way to reach a solution: “don’t worry, let’s see how we can help you“

Griffith Foods would not be the same without this Food Engineer who has taken Quality matters to a level that not only meets but exceeds the standards of the industry and our customers. He was born in Bucaramanga but lives in Medellin and has worked at Griffith Foods since 2009, with a unique approach and vision on food safety.

Together with his exceptional work team in the Andean Region, Brasil and Cenam, he is in charge of giving support and confidence to our customers and consumers about the quality of our products. Day by day he lives under the philosophy of one of the great masters of English prose, John Ruskin, who says that quality is never an accident, it is always the result of an effort of intelligence, a premise that he applies and transmits in each process. and project done with quality.

As CFO, since joining Griffith Foods family in 2018, he has shown that he believes in the power of simplicity and that behind the numbers there are people. This Financier by profession born in Bogota and based in Medellin, likes to take finances to all areas of the company, making the finance team go beyond the numerical position and understand the needs of the business.

Boris oversees collaborating in obtaining the strategic results of the company by monitoring margins, guaranteeing working capital, making projects and regulatory compliance a reality. He is a true believer in one of the principles of Dean Griffith, one of our founding fathers: “The best is yet to come.”

Born in Medellin joined Griffith Foods in 1997, she has worked with passion, love and dedication for everything she does. She strives to generate solutions through knowledge to obtain products that satisfy the needs and tastes of our customers.

Food Engineer, with a Specialization in Global Market Management, currently studying a Master in Food Technology at the University of Buenos Aires; Kichy, as we all know her, leads the company’s Research and Development team. With great empathy she transmits to all that always “when looking at the other, remember that each one does what they can with the information they have”, a philosophy that allows her to be loving, very professional and guide her attitude of service to those who need her support for.

“Understanding there are other points of view is the beginning of wisdom”

— Thomas Campbell

Food Engineer born and based in Medellin, he leads the commercial group that serves protein processors at Griffith Foods. He believes in each of the members of his team allowing each one to develop their potential. His good sense of humor is one of the characteristics of his personality.

Since he joined Griffith Foods in 2000, he has lived every day applying Tomas Campbell’s premise that has led him to great negotiations, where he always finds a common point with the customer and the best benefit for all parties.

“There is no goal that cannot be reached”

— Pablo Villegas

Born in Bogota but based in Medellin as a great representative of the Paisa culture, Pablo lives and works every day with positivism, generating empowerment, joy and leading the commercial team of our own brand Custom Culinary®, its sub brands Custom Culinary® Zafrán®, Custom Culinary® Chef´s Own™, Custom Culinary® Gold Label and other non-protein businesses.

Food Engineer with a specialization in Marketing, he has been with the company since 1997 demonstrating everything is possible. He is dedicated to enhancing the talent of his collaborators, impressing on the team energy, empathy, trust and all the other attributes that represent our Griffith culture.

“Each person makes a difference and together we build the future.”

— Mónica Restrepo

Human Talent Management Specialist dedicated to making each of the members of Griffith Foods feel like family, happy and motivated. Her life mission is to generate growth and happiness in those around her, and she has put it into practice since 1997 when she joined the company, constantly working to create bonds of trust that allow to enhance the development of people, framed in personal satisfaction and happiness, creating an alliance of growth and sustainability of the organization in the future.

Born and based in Medellin, she transmits all the energy and knowledge to her work team that allows her to develop Human Resources projects and manage talent, making us all feel equally important.

The management of information technologies in the Andean area of ​​Griffith Foods is in charge of this Systems Engineer, born in Itagüí, Antioquia; and who since 1997 has worked with the company giving all its orientation to service, discipline and order.

Always willing to find the best solution, innovating in processes, leading a great team that looks for an opportunity to improve in every problem, he believes that “when a project, system, software, hardware is delivered and nobody says anything, good or bad, it’s because it’s not working. We must always be inquiring about how things are going, not wait to be sought out, be proactive and always pursue excellence.”