Key Takeaways
- BRANDT has created a global product management function to align marketing, sales, and innovation teams.
- Brian Deverman, previously with Bayer CropScience, joins as Global Senior Product Director to lead the initiative.
- The product management team will be based in Springfield, IL, with a global mandate.
- Alex Lovdahl, Marketing Director for Insights & Analytics, will join the team to integrate data analytics into product management strategies.
- The new function aims to rationalize BRANDT’s product portfolio, strengthen product positioning, and deliver consistent product messaging.
Strategic Leadership for a New Function
BRANDT, a leader in agricultural retail and specialty products, has appointed Brian Deverman to lead its newly established global product management function. Deverman, who most recently served as Vice President, Global Business Development and Licensing Lead at Bayer CropScience, brings a wealth of experience in business development, licensing, and biofuel feedstock innovation.
“We’re thrilled to have Brian join us,” said Karl Barnhart, Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer. “Brian will bring focus, leadership, and—most importantly—strategic thinking to this new function. He’s been a long-time friend of the company, and we couldn’t be more pleased to finally have him on Team BRANDT.”
The product management function will serve as the intersection of marketing, sales, and discovery and innovation, focusing on rationalizing the product portfolio, identifying unique market spaces, and delivering consistent product stories.
A Local Connection with Global Experience
Deverman’s ties to BRANDT run deep. “I grew up 15 miles from BRANDT’s Illinois headquarters, and our family worked with BRANDT’s retail group for years,” Deverman said. “This opportunity aligns perfectly with my skill set and puts me into an environment I’ve known since I was literally old enough to drive a tractor.”
Deverman’s career includes leadership roles at Bayer/Monsanto, Osborn Barr Paramore, and DuPont Pioneer, providing him with a diverse background in agriculture, marketing, and innovation.
Integrating Data-Driven Analytics
Alex Lovdahl, BRANDT’s Marketing Director for Insights & Analytics, will join the product management team. Lovdahl has developed a robust suite of data analytics tools, which will now be integrated into the global product management function to enhance decision-making and competitive positioning.
“Brian’s charge is to build a data-driven function leveraging what Alex has been doing,” Barnhart explained. “We’ve been hugely impressed with what Alex has built, and the real magic will happen when we integrate these capabilities into product management.”
