Peter Hawthorne is Managing Partner of P.Chandler Partners, a strategic, investment, and governance advisory firm and investor in early stage, emerging technology companies in ag, food, and related bio spaces. He is also an Operating Director with Paine Schwartz Partners, a private equity firm specializing in sustainable food chain investing across the global food and agribusiness sectors. Peter has deep experience operating, advising and governing global ag, food, and chemical businesses, and has served on 13 corporate boards and numerous board committees.
Peter currently chairs the boards of Emery Oleochemicals – a leading global producer of high-quality, natural-based chemicals made from natural oils and fats, and Kynetec – a leading global provider of data, analytics and market insights for the agriculture, food, and animal health industries. He is also a member of the board of Allnex – the leading producer globally of industrial coating resins, cross linkers, and additives, and King Ranch – a major North American agribusiness with interests in cattle, farm equipment, farming, turfgrass, recreational hunting, and luxury outdoor apparel.
Peter spent 25 years at Cargill, a 160 year-old global company with 155,000 employees and $160 billion revenue, operating in 70 countries across ag, food, industrial, logistics, and financial businesses. He led emerging businesses in the 90’s, lived in and made investments across the Asia Pacific region, and led Cargill’s global corporate development from 2006 to 2018. As Vice President of Corporate Strategy & Development during that period, Peter built a global team of 30 professionals responsible for investing more than $2 billion in equity annually, completing 20-30 deals each year, from multi-billion dollar acquisitions to $1 million Series A equity tech investments. At Cargill, Peter oversaw more than $35 billion in transactions, completed joint ventures in 20 countries, and chaired the boards of three of Cargill’s largest JV’s: Ardent Mills – North America’s largest flour milling company, NatureWorks – the global leader in bio-polymers, and North Star BlueScope Steel – North America’s most profitable flat roll steel mill.
Peter currently chairs the boards of Emery Oleochemicals – a leading global producer of high-quality, natural-based chemicals made from natural oils and fats, and Kynetec – a leading global provider of data, analytics and market insights for the agriculture, food, and animal health industries. He is also a member of the board of Allnex – the leading producer globally of industrial coating resins, cross linkers, and additives, and King Ranch – a major North American agribusiness with interests in cattle, farm equipment, farming, turfgrass, recreational hunting, and luxury outdoor apparel.
Peter spent 25 years at Cargill, a 160 year-old global company with 155,000 employees and $160 billion revenue, operating in 70 countries across ag, food, industrial, logistics, and financial businesses. He led emerging businesses in the 90’s, lived in and made investments across the Asia Pacific region, and led Cargill’s global corporate development from 2006 to 2018. As Vice President of Corporate Strategy & Development during that period, Peter built a global team of 30 professionals responsible for investing more than $2 billion in equity annually, completing 20-30 deals each year, from multi-billion dollar acquisitions to $1 million Series A equity tech investments. At Cargill, Peter oversaw more than $35 billion in transactions, completed joint ventures in 20 countries, and chaired the boards of three of Cargill’s largest JV’s: Ardent Mills – North America’s largest flour milling company, NatureWorks – the global leader in bio-polymers, and North Star BlueScope Steel – North America’s most profitable flat roll steel mill.