Robert Horster

Biography

Robert was named Sustainability Director for Cargill’s agricultural supply chain and Head of Environmental Markets in 2021. Until the end of 2020, he led trading, origination, and sustainability for Cargill’s global edible oils group (GEOS) since 2016 and its agricultural supply chain group in EMEA (CASC EMEA) since 2018. Before 2016, he held regional trading roles in GEOS. 

Between 2007 and 2012, Robert headed up Cargill's grain and oilseeds trading for Greater China and Korea, and coal trading for Asia for the energy, transportation and metals business. Before relocating to Asia, he was the commercial manager for Cargill’s oilseeds crush and feed ingredients activities in the Benelux. In this capacity, he was involved in setting up non-GM supply chains for soybeans and a member of the Kramer-commission, an advisory body to the Dutch government on sustainable biomass. 

Robert holds a master's degree from the Erasmus Universiteit Rotterdam in monetary economics and fundamental economic theory. He has lectured on food security and commodity risk at Singapore Management University and Erasmus University and has a special interest in food security, classical history, and artificial intelligence. He loves sailing and competes in triathlons.