ADM vs Bunge: Founders, CEOs and History
ADM was founded in 1902 by John W. Daniels, George A. Archer and is led by Juan R. Luciano. Bunge was founded in 1818 by Johann Peter Gottlieb Bunge and is led by Gregory A. Heckman.
Company facts
Founders
ADM
John W. Daniels
ADM's official history identifies Daniels' 1902 company as the starting point of the business. George A. Archer joined in 1903, and the company adopted the Archer Daniels Linseed name in 1905.
George A. Archer
Archer joined one year after Daniels formed the company. His name was added when the business became Archer Daniels Linseed Company in 1905, before the 1923 Midland merger created Archer Daniels Midland.
Bunge
Johann Peter Gottlieb Bunge
Johann Peter Gottlieb Bunge founded Bunge & Co. in Amsterdam in 1818 as an import-export house.
CEOs and their tenures
ADM
- Dwayne O. Andreas1970–1997
Chief Executive Officer
Led ADM for 27 years as the company expanded agricultural processing and international commodity operations.
Source - G. Allen Andreas1997–2006
Chief Executive Officer
Succeeded Dwayne Andreas and served as chief executive until Patricia Woertz's appointment.
Source - Patricia A. Woertz2006–2014
President and Chief Executive Officer
Joined ADM as CEO and president in April 2006 and served until Juan Luciano took office on January 1, 2015.
Source - Juan R. Luciano2015–present
Chair of the Board and Chief Executive Officer
Became ADM's ninth CEO on January 1, 2015 and remains chair and CEO as of September 2026.
Source
Bunge
- Alberto Weisser1999–2013
Chief Executive Officer
Weisser led Bunge as it moved its headquarters from São Paulo to the New York area and listed on the New York Stock Exchange in 2001, then through the 2002 Cereol acquisition that made it the world's largest soybean processor.
Source - Soren Schroder2013–2019
Chief Executive Officer
Schroder became CEO in June 2013. His tenure included a takeover approach from Glencore in 2017 and a reported approach from ADM in January 2018.
Source - Gregory A. Heckman2019–present
Chief Executive Officer
Heckman joined Bunge's board in October 2018, when activist investors D.E. Shaw and Continental Grain pushed for change, became acting CEO on 22 January 2019 and CEO in April 2019.
Source
Timeline: ADM and Bunge side by side
1818Bunge
Bunge & Co. founded in Amsterdam
Johann Peter Gottlieb Bunge set up Bunge & Co. in Amsterdam as an import-export trading house, the business that still carries his name.
1859Bunge
Edouard Bunge moves the firm to Antwerp
The founder's grandson Edouard Bunge relocated the company to Antwerp, Belgium, one of Europe's busiest ports for colonial and grain trade.
1884Bunge
Bunge y Born launched in Argentina
Ernest Bunge and the Born family started a grain trading company in Buenos Aires as Argentina emerged as a major grain exporter. Bunge y Born grew into elevators, flour mills and export logistics.
1902ADM
Daniels Linseed Company Founded
John W. Daniels formed Daniels Linseed Company in Minneapolis to produce linseed oil.
1903ADM
George Archer Joins
George A. Archer joined Daniels' company one year after it was formed.
1905ADM
Archer Daniels Linseed Company Named
The business changed its name to Archer Daniels Linseed Company.
1905Bunge
Expansion into Brazil
Bunge extended its South American business into Brazil, which later became its most important origin for soybeans.
1918Bunge
Trading begins in North America
Bunge started trading in North America, the world's largest agricultural market.
1923ADM
Archer Daniels Midland Formed
A merger with Midland Linseed Products Company created Archer Daniels Midland Company.
1924ADM
NYSE Trading Begins
ADM began trading on the New York Stock Exchange on December 24, 1924.
1996ADM
Antitrust Guilty Plea
ADM pleaded guilty in lysine and citric acid price-fixing cases and agreed to a $100 million criminal fine.
1997Bunge
Ceval makes Bunge Brazil's top soy processor
After a 1993 to 1997 restructuring that refocused the group on agribusiness, Bunge acquired Ceval, the largest soybean processor in Brazil. Acquisitions and organic growth over the next seven years made it the largest soy processor in South America.
2001Bunge
NYSE listing and a US headquarters
Bunge Limited listed on the New York Stock Exchange in August 2001 under the ticker BG and moved its headquarters from São Paulo to the New York area, ending 183 years of private ownership.
2002Bunge
Cereol acquisition
Bunge bought 55 percent of French oilseed processor Cereol from Italy's Edison for ~$508 million (449.2 million euros) and then the publicly held shares.
2005Bunge
First soybean plant in China
Bunge opened its first soybean processing plant in China, the world's largest soybean importer.
2006ADM
Patricia Woertz Becomes CEO
Patricia A. Woertz succeeded G. Allen Andreas as president and chief executive officer in April 2006.
2010Bunge
Entry into sugar and ethanol
Bunge entered the sugar business in Brazil, a diversification it later moved into a joint venture with BP in 2019 and exited in 2024.
2014ADM
Chicago Headquarters Opens
ADM opened its global headquarters and customer center in downtown Chicago on August 25, 2014.
2014ADM
WILD Flavors Acquired
ADM completed its acquisition of WILD Flavors, adding natural flavors and specialty ingredients.
2015ADM
Juan Luciano Becomes CEO
Juan R. Luciano became ADM's ninth chief executive officer on January 1, 2015.
2018Bunge
Loders Croklaan and a bicentennial
Bunge completed its purchase of 70 percent of IOI Loders Croklaan, a specialty palm and tropical oils business, for $946 million, and marked 200 years since its founding.
2018Bunge
Activist investors reshape the board
Under pressure from investors D.E. Shaw and Continental Grain, Bunge added three directors in October 2018, including Gregory Heckman. On 10 December 2018 it said CEO Soren Schroder would step down.
2019ADM
Neovia Acquired
ADM completed its ~$1.74 billion (EUR 1.544 billion) acquisition of animal nutrition company Neovia.
2019Bunge
Gregory Heckman becomes CEO
Heckman was named acting CEO on 22 January 2019 and appointed chief executive in April 2019, starting a review of the portfolio and a shift to global value chains.
2019Bunge
Headquarters move to St. Louis and BP sugar venture
Bunge moved its global headquarters from White Plains, New York, to the St. Louis area and combined its Brazilian sugar and bioenergy business with BP's in a 50/50 joint venture.
2021ADM
Sojaprotein Acquired
ADM completed its acquisition of Serbia-based non-GMO soy ingredient producer Sojaprotein.
2021Bunge
Chevron renewable feedstock venture announced
Bunge and Chevron announced a joint venture to supply soybean oil for renewable diesel and sustainable aviation fuel from Bunge's crushing plants in Destrehan, Louisiana, and Cairo, Illinois.
2023Bunge
Added to the S&P 500
Bunge replaced Signature Bank in the S&P 500 effective 15 March 2023.
2023Bunge
Viterra merger agreed
On 13 June 2023 Bunge agreed to combine with Viterra, the grain handler owned by Glencore, CPP Investments and British Columbia Investment Management, for Bunge shares and about $2 billion in cash.
2023Bunge
Redomiciled to Switzerland
Bunge moved its place of incorporation from Bermuda to Switzerland in November 2023, becoming Bunge Global SA with a registered office in Geneva while keeping its headquarters in St. Louis.
2024ADM
Segment Reporting Restated
ADM restated its 2023 Form 10-K and first- and second-quarter 2024 reports to correct historical segment-reporting errors.
2024Bunge
Exit from sugar and bioenergy
On 1 October 2024 Bunge completed the sale of its 50 percent stake in BP Bunge Bioenergia to bp, a stake valued at about $1.4 billion in enterprise value.
2025Bunge
Canada approves the Viterra deal with conditions
Canada's government approved the merger on 14 January 2025, requiring Bunge to sell six Western Canadian grain elevators, invest at least ~$374 million (C$520 million) in Canada within five years and keep a Canadian head office in Regina.
2025Bunge
North American corn milling sold
Bunge completed the sale of its North American dry corn and corn masa milling business to flour miller Grain Craft on 1 July 2025.
2025Bunge
Viterra merger completed
The Viterra merger closed on 2 July 2025 after China's approval. Glencore received about 32.8 million Bunge shares, 16.4 percent of the enlarged company, and about $900 million in cash.
2026ADM
SEC Settlement Announced
ADM agreed to pay a $40 million civil penalty to settle SEC accounting and disclosure charges without admitting or denying the findings.
2026Bunge
IFF soy protein and lecithin businesses acquired
On 2 March 2026 Bunge closed its purchase of IFF's soy protein concentrate, lecithin and soy crush businesses, including the Response, Alpha, Procon and Solec brands.
2026Bunge
Investor Day sets 2030 earnings target
At its 10 March 2026 Investor Day Bunge set a mid-cycle EPS baseline of about $13, a goal of at least $15 by the end of 2030 and a new $3 billion share repurchase programme.
2026Bunge
Guidance raised after a strong second quarter
Bunge reported second-quarter net income of $678 million on 29 July 2026, completed its $2 billion Viterra-related buyback and raised 2026 adjusted EPS guidance to $9.25 to $9.75.
2026Bunge
Sugar mills to be sold to COFCO International
On 1 September 2026 Bunge agreed to sell the Rio Vermelho and Nova Unialco sugarcane mills in São Paulo state, inherited from Viterra, to COFCO International, subject to regulatory approval.
Acquisitions
ADM
- Revela Foods2024Undisclosed
- PT Trouw Nutrition Indonesia2024Undisclosed
- Sojaprotein2021Undisclosed
- Neovia2019Undisclosed
- WILD Flavors GmbH2014$3B
Bunge
- IFF soy protein concentrate, lecithin and soy crush businesses2026Undisclosed
- Viterra Limited2025$8.2B
- IOI Loders Croklaan (70 percent stake)2018$946M
- Cereol S.A.2002$815M
- Ceval Alimentos1997Undisclosed
Questions about ADM vs Bunge
Who is the CEO of Archer-Daniels-Midland Company and Bunge Global SA?
Archer-Daniels-Midland Company is led by Juan R. Luciano and Bunge Global SA is led by Gregory A. Heckman. Both serve as the top executive responsible for the company's strategy, operations, and financial performance.
When was Archer-Daniels-Midland Company founded vs Bunge Global SA?
Bunge Global SA was founded in 1818 — 84 years before Archer-Daniels-Midland Company, which was founded in 1902. Bunge Global SA's longer operating history gives it a deeper track record but also potentially more institutional inertia compared to the younger Archer-Daniels-Midland Company.
How many employees does Archer-Daniels-Midland Company have compared to Bunge Global SA?
Archer-Daniels-Midland Company employs approximately 41,496 people, while Bunge Global SA employs approximately 34,000. Archer-Daniels-Midland Company has the larger workforce at 41,496 employees, compared to Bunge Global SA's 34,000. A higher headcount does not necessarily imply greater efficiency — it often reflects differences in business model (e.g., manufacturing vs. software).
Where are Archer-Daniels-Midland Company and Bunge Global SA headquartered?
Both Archer-Daniels-Midland Company and Bunge Global SA are headquartered in United States, meaning they operate under the same primary regulatory and tax environment.
Who founded Archer-Daniels-Midland Company and Bunge Global SA?
Archer-Daniels-Midland Company was founded by John W. Daniels, George A. Archer. Bunge Global SA was founded by Johann Peter Gottlieb Bunge.
Which company has a longer operating history — Archer-Daniels-Midland Company or Bunge Global SA?
Bunge Global SA has been operating for approximately 208 years, making it the more established of the two companies. Archer-Daniels-Midland Company has been in operation for around 124 years. A longer operating history often signals greater institutional resilience and brand recognition, though it can also mean slower adaptation to new market conditions.
Figures come from each company's filings and the sources linked beside them. Amounts reported in another currency are shown in US dollars at an approximate rate and marked with ~. Back to the ADM vs Bunge overview