Bühler appointed Mike Häfeli as the new CEO of its Grains & Food business effective January 1, 2026. Johannes Wick will step down from his role as CEO Grains & Food at the end of 2025 after a decade in this leadership role and will take on a new position within Bühler. Mike Häfeli will succeed him as CEO Grains & Food and Member of the Executive Board.
Häfel previously served as CEO of the Eisberg Group and Member of the Executive Board of the Bell Food Group. The appointment marks his return to Bühler, where he started his career as an apprentice over 30 years ago. Throughout his career, he held various roles across automation, sales, and business leadership. Among others, Häfeli worked for many years as Vice President Automation in North America. From 2015 to 2023, he led the business area Grain Quality & Supply at Bühler.
Bühler thanks the outgoing CEO: “Johannes Wick has been instrumental in shaping Bühler’s Grains & Food business over the past 10 years. Under his leadership, Grains & Food has significantly expanded its global market share, launched new business ventures, and achieved strong financial performance. He has built a diverse and high-performing leadership team and driven innovation in grain processing, alternative proteins, chocolate processing, and for confectionery products. His tenure also saw the successful development of strategic collaborations with Imdher (Mexico), Endeco (Germany), and Premier Tech (Canada and China), as well as new ventures in nut de-bacterization and grain puffing,” the company said in an announcement.
“Johannes Wick has been a driving force behind Bühler’s transformation in the Grains & Food business. His strategic vision, deep industry expertise, and unwavering commitment have left a lasting legacy. We thank Johannes for his exceptional leadership and contributions to Bühler’s success,” says Stefan Scheiber, CEO of Bühler Group. “We are equally excited to welcome Mike Häfeli back to the company. His broad experience and leadership across both Bühler and the wider food industry make him the ideal successor to lead Grains & Food into its next chapter of innovation and growth,” he adds.
Photos: Bühler
