Alltech announces new leadership roles
Alltech has announced new leadership in the office of the president, the culture and talent team, and the marketing and communications team.
Orla McAleer [pictured] joins the culture and talent team as chief culture officer, while Susanna Elliott will lead the global marketing and communications team as chief marketing and communications officer, and Brian Lawless will lead the office of the president as chief of staff.
“As we have reviewed our strategy and growing capabilities, we are focused on the recruitment, development and well-being of our greatest asset — our people,” said Dr Mark Lyons, president and CEO of Alltech. “Orla, Susanna and Brian bring leadership and experience that will enable us to capitalize on our opportunities and leverage the strengths of our global team.”
As the chief culture officer at Alltech, McAleer will work to strengthen the company’s emphasis on its people and purpose. She has worked in the business for more than 20 years and has traveled extensively, building teams and close relationships with colleagues globally.
Prior to this new role, she was the chief marketing officer at Alltech, responsible for overseeing the company’s global marketing efforts across its more than 120 markets and building a winning team and brand that has matched the growth ambitions of the company.
McAleer received a master's degree in business, leadership and management practice from the University College Dublin Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School. She also earned a bachelor’s degree in business studies from Trinity College Dublin in Ireland and holds a diploma in public relations.
As chief marketing and communications officer, Elliott will lead a 130-person global team.
Most recently, she served as Alltech’s chief of staff and director of communications. In these roles, she worked closely with Dr Lyons and the executive team to support the business through the global challenges of 2020-2023. “The position afforded her unique visibility of the entire business, a perspective that now informs her leadership of Alltech’s global marketing and communications strategy.”
Elliott has held various communications roles over her 15 years at Alltech and is involved in supporting the agriculture industry as an American Feed Industry Association (AFIA) board member and as vice chair of the CLEAR Center advisory council at the UC Davis. She received a bachelor’s degree in public relations from Asbury University.
Lawless is the chief of staff at Alltech, leading the office of the president. As chief of staff, he will support Dr Lyons and the executive team to drive global strategy and maximize operational effectiveness.
The company noted his knowledge of the ag-tech industry from his involvement in the Pearse Lyons Accelerator in Dublin, which he can bring into this role.
Over his ten years in the business, he has served as deputy chief of staff, species marketing manager, brand manager for North America and, at the beginning of his Alltech career, worked closely with Dr Lyons on key growth projects.
Lawless holds bachelor’s degrees in economics and Spanish from DePauw University and a master’s degree in agriculture from Western Kentucky University.
