US produce giant Chiquita Brands International has appointed CFO Brian Kocher to the newly-created position of COO as it looks to restructure the business.

In line with its new strategic direction, the company said it is consolidating global sales, its business unit and food safety capabilities into a single organisation, to be led by Kocher. Chiquita's commercial operations will be organised around two core business units: bananas globally and salads and healthy snacks in North America.

Kocher, who will continue to serve as CFO until a replacement is found, joined Chiquita in 2005. He has held various senior leadership positions since joining, including president for its North American operations and president for its operations in Europe and the Middle East.

In October, the company named Ed Lonergan as president and CEO, succeeding Fernando Aguirre who decided to step down amid a company revamp in August.