The FINANCIAL -- Chiquita Brands International, announced that the company's board of directors has appointed Brian W. Kocher,  to serve as senior vice president and chief financial officer effective upon the filing of the company's 2011 annual report.

According to Chiquita Brands, in this role, Kocher will be responsible for all the aspects of the company's financial operations worldwide.  Kocher is currently the company's president, Europe and the Middle East and previously served as Chiquita's vice president, controller and chief accounting officer.  Kocher succeeds Michael Sims, who has resigned to accept an assignment with another company.

Kocher, who joined the company in 2005, most recently served as president, Europe and the Middle East where he had responsibility for leading the company's operations throughout the region, including bananas, other produce and diversified value-added products.  Previously he served as president, North America, where he led the successful transformation of Chiquita's North American banana and salad business.  He has more than 18 years of accounting, sales, finance and business process change expertise, including senior roles at General Electric, Hill-Rom, and PricewaterhouseCoopers. 

Chiquita has initiated a search process to identify a new president, Europe and the Middle East, and in the interim Kocher will continue to oversee Chiquita's European business.

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