Omar Ishrak, Ph.D., former executive chairman and CEO of Medtronic, has been elected to the Minneapolis, Minnesota-based Cargill Board of Directors.
“Omar’s deep international experience and strength in technology and innovation helped Medtronic sustain long-term growth during his tenure as CEO. Under his leadership, Medtronic realized their mission and purpose, introducing products that improved the lives of patients around the world. Omar has a strong record of building diverse and inclusive workplace cultures, and driving partnerships in worldwide markets, most notably in Asia. This combination of proven people, operational and market leadership make him a valuable addition to our board,” said David MacLennan, Cargill’s chairman and CEO.
Ishrak joined Medtronic as CEO in June 2011, retiring in April 2020 and staying on as executive chairman and chairman of the board until December 2020. Previously, he was president and CEO of GE Healthcare Systems and held positions at Diasonics/Vingmed and Philips Ultrasound.
In January 2020, Ishrak was named independent chairman of the board of the board of Intel. He also currently serves on the board of directors of the Cleveland Clinic. He is a member of the board of trustees of Minnesota Public Radio as well as the Asia Society, the leading educational organization dedicated to promoting mutual understanding and strengthening partnerships among peoples, leaders and institutions of Asia and the United States.
Ishrak grew up in Bangladesh. He earned a bachelor’s degree and a Ph.D. in electrical engineering from the University of London, King’s College.
Cargill’s 155,000 employees across 70 countries work to achieve its purpose of nourishing the world in a safe, responsible and sustainable way. Every day, they connect farmers with markets, customers with ingredients, and people and animals with the food they need to thrive.
Cargill combines 155 years of experience with new technologies and insights to serve as a trusted partner for food, agriculture, financial and industrial customers in more than 125 countries.
