Roland Fumasi Named New Head of RaboResearch North America

Agribusiness researcher and economist leads team to serve Rabobank and Rabo AgriFinance clients

Rabobank has appointed veteran food and agribusiness research analyst and economist Roland Fumasi to lead its RaboResearch Food & Agribusiness (F&A) team in North America. In the six years Fumasi has been a senior RaboResearch analyst with the organization, he has gained recognition regionally and globally for his sector outlooks and industry presentations.

Rabobank’s RaboResearch F&A group is a global team of more than 90 analysts who monitor and evaluate global market events that affect food and agriculture worldwide. Fumasi will lead a team of more than 20 members based in North America who are internationally respected experts in sectors ranging from animal protein to produce, farm inputs to consumer foods. The team collects key insights into commodity markets; conducts in-depth analysis of the factors that drive sector success or failure; and examines the megatrends that ultimately influence clients’ business strategies.

“Roland’s insights and expertise have benefited our Rabobank and Rabo AgriFinance clients across North America and around the globe, and we look forward to what he will bring to his new role,” noted Rabobank North America CEO Paul Beiboer. “His proven leadership and vision will drive the future of our highly successful team.”

As Head of RaboResearch F&A North America, Fumasi says his goal is for the team to continue providing unparalleled insight and value. “When we leverage the synergies that can be created among our varying sector experts, we can provide unique, leading knowledge to our clients that they can’t get anywhere else,” Fumasi explained. “We will continue to expand our data and quantitative analysis capabilities and more fully leverage our global colleagues.”

Fumasi joined Rabobank as an analyst in 2014, and in 2017 was appointed manager of the Fresno, California RaboResearch team. Growing up in a farming family and serving as California State FFA president, Roland has always been committed to the success of the food and agriculture industry. Most recently he served as a senior fresh produce and tree nut analyst.

His 28-year career has been primarily focused on serving the food and agribusiness industry, with 13 years dedicated specifically to agribusiness research. Prior to joining Rabobank, Fumasi worked with Utility Fleet Sales, Ltd., as the vice president of marketing and finance, and with Morgan Stanley as a financial advisor. He holds a Ph.D. in agricultural economics from Texas A&M University and an M.S. in agribusiness from Cal Poly.

Fumasi succeeds Pablo Sherwell, who now leads the recently formed RaboResearch F&A Data Analytics team in North America.