If you are recruiting talent for top positions in agri and food in Latin America, you will automatically end up at High Touch, an international boutique agency Dutch origin. And anyone in Europe looking for Latin American candidates need look no further. Nicolás Castagneto (44) is the Senior Partner Latin America at High Touch, Executive Search from Field to Fork. He loves to meet people and help them to connect with others – likes the idea of ‘connection’ in general – and of course, he loves the field, food, and beaches of Latin America…

Technical to commercial

Nicolás has been involved in the agri-food sector for 27 years. ‘I started my Bachelor’s degree in agribusiness in 1995 at the age of 17,’ he says. ‘Then, once I graduated, moved 400 km from home to become a veterinarian. I later worked at various animal health companies, moving from the technical aspect in the field, to the commercial and business areas. During this period, I had the opportunity to build a number of teams, with a focus on recruiting human talent.’

Specific people for a specific industry
At the age of 36, Nicolás realised that recruitment focusing on the agri-food value chain presented an interesting opportunity for development in the LATAM region. Nicolás: ‘Executive search specifically aimed at the agri-food industry in LATAM is not much developed yet. While there are agencies working specifically in agri, these mainly focus on medium-level jobs. On the other hand, both large and some local executive search agencies are looking to recruit in the agri or food industries. They work with “specific people” in a team or business unit aimed at a “specific industry”.’

Agribusiness from the inside
According to Nicolás these “specific people” come and go frequently. Nicolás: ‘Because they don’t always come from the agri and food industry, they often don’t know the business from the inside. High Touch is a new concept in terms of executive search in the LATAM region. Having the scope across the entire agri-food value chain, “from field to fork”, requires quite a different approach. Another significant way that High Touch stands out from its competitors is that all of the senior partners come from the agri-food industry themselves. We understand and care about climate change, sustainability, One Health, social impact, circular economy and many other relevant matters in the sector. We really know the agri-food business inside and out.’

Opportunities
Nicolás enjoys helping companies, adding value to their business by finding the most suitable candidate for each role. Nicolás: ‘I have extensive knowledge of the agri-food industry and the business, as well as the LATAM region – the people, their different cultures, styles and preferences. I have been working and travelling around the region for the past 15 years, gaining experience and learning about each market. Working with recruiting agencies is not so usual. Some companies prefer to carry out searches from within their organisation. In my view, this is our greatest challenge, and of course at the same time it’s a huge opportunity.’

Working regionally, with international approach
Nicolás explains the idea of a regional scope in Latin America. ‘We are developing a strategy for working regionally, taking into consideration that many medium-sized European companies will continue to arrive in LATAM in the coming years. We add value both clients and candidates working with an international approach. ’

Connecting talented people
Nicolás is not only a friendly, interesting and dependable person who enjoys connecting talented people; he is also sensitive, optimistic and grateful. His partnership with High Touch aligns perfectly with his current life vision.

For more information, please contact Nicolás Castagneto.
Email: nicolas.castagneto@hightouchglobal.com
Mobile: +54 91168495742.