Animal protein processing company, JBS S.A, has appointed Miguel Gularte as president of South American operations, as part of efforts to strengthen the company's top management team.

With 32 years of experiences in South America's meat sector, Gularte began his career at local cooperative, CICADE, where he served a number of roles including quality assurance manager, industrial manager and industrial director.

In 1996, Gularte joined Uruguay-based beef producer, Frigorifico PUL, as a commercial director. He was later appointed as general manager before taking over as president of PUL. Gularte eventually led the sale of PUL to Minerva Foods in 2011. Since then, he has acted as international vice president at Minerva, a position he held until June 2013.

Gularte was a graduate, focusing on veterinary science, from URCAMP University in the southern Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul.