CF Industries Holdings Inc. announced on July 6 that Douglas C. Barnard, Senior Vice President, General Counsel, and Secretary, has informed the company that he will retire effective Jan. 12, 2024. Effective immediately, Barnard will serve as Executive Vice President, Corporate Development and Legal Advisor, reporting to Tony Will, CF’s President and CEO, with primary responsibility for obtaining FTC clearance for the recently announced acquisition of the Waggaman, La., ammonia facility (GM March 24, p. 1). Barnard will also assist with other strategic initiatives and business development support.
Barnard joined CF as General Counsel in January 2004. Prior to that he served as Executive Vice President and General Counsel of Bcom3 Group Inc. Earlier in his career he was a partner in the law firm of Kirkland and Ellis, and served as Vice President, General Counsel, and Secretary of LifeStyle Furnishings International Ltd.
“Doug has been an invaluable leader at CF Industries, providing expert legal advice and strategic business insight that has helped build our company into the global leader it is today,” Will said. “He has had a profound and lasting impact on CF Industries, including his work on our initial public offering, guiding us through transformational acquisitions, and building a world-class legal and compliance function. I want to thank Doug for his extraordinary leadership and partnership, and congratulate him on a wonderful career.”
CF also reported that Michael P. McGrane, Vice President, Chief Compliance Officer, and Assistant Secretary, has been promoted to Vice President, General Counsel, and Secretary as Barnard’s successor, effective July 7, 2023. McGrane will report to Susan L. Menzel, who has been promoted to Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer (CAO). Menzel has served as Senior Vice President, Human Resources, for CF since 2017. As CAO, CF said she will add oversight of the legal function to her current responsibilities for human resources and information technology.
McGrane joined CF in 2011 as Associate General Counsel and Assistant Secretary, and was named Vice President, Chief Compliance Officer, and Assistant Secretary, in January 2016. Prior to joining CF, McGrane was an attorney at Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom, where his practice concentrated on mergers and acquisitions, securities offerings, corporate governance, and general corporate and securities law matters.
Additionally, CF reported that Christopher D. Bohn has been named Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, and Bert A. Frost has been named Executive Vice President, Sales, Market Development, and Supply Chain. “I am pleased to name Chris and Bert executive vice presidents,” Will said. “Their appointments reflect the contributions they have made, and will continue to make, to the success of our company, as well as the strength of our leadership team.”