Cristóbal Casillas Silva

At José Cuervo, I lead one of the largest agricultural operations in the world of spirits: more than 120 million agave plants across 45,000 hectares, cared for by a team of over 5,000 people. Our mission is clear—combine tradition with innovation to secure the future of agave and the communities that grow it. Every day, we are transforming the way agriculture is done at scale: • Driving efficiency and cost reduction while boosting productivity. • Bringing science to the field through R&D in plant improvement, analytical methods, and mechanization. • Harnessing technology—drones, IT systems, and data analytics—to make smarter, faster decisions. • Modernizing equipment and infrastructure to ensure safety, sustainability, and resilience. • Investing in people, building a culture of talent, leadership, and inclusion, with a growing presence of women in agriculture. This journey is about more than agave. It’s about creating a culture of innovation in the field, empowering people, and ensuring that José Cuervo remains a global benchmark in excellence, efficiency, and sustainable agriculture.

Lideré la transformación de un invernadero de alta tecnología, originalmente diseñado para cannabis, en una operación agrícola de vanguardia dedicada a la producción de lechugas, fresas y melones bajo agricultura protegida. Este proyecto formó parte de la visión de la empresa: impulsar un modelo de producción más saludable, eficiente y sostenible para alimentar al mundo. Principales responsabilidades y logros: • Reconversión estratégica de infraestructura y procesos, adaptando instalaciones, sistemas de riego y control climático para cultivos de alto valor en hortalizas y berries. • Arranque exitoso de operaciones, desde la planeación agrícola hasta la primera cosecha, estableciendo protocolos de calidad, inocuidad y eficiencia productiva. • Certificación internacional, implementando estándares de cumplimiento que permitieron habilitar la exportación a mercados de Estados Unidos y Canadá. • Gestión de talento multicultural y multidisciplinario, construyendo equipos de alto rendimiento y fomentando la innovación en prácticas agrícolas y tecnológicas. • Optimización tecnológica, integrando herramientas de monitoreo, análisis de datos y control ambiental para maximizar productividad y calidad del producto final. Este rol me permitió consolidar experiencia en la escalabilidad de proyectos agrícolas de alta tecnología, el cumplimiento de regulaciones internacionales y la creación de equipos diversos orientados a resultados.

Develop and implement a strategy to grow at a 2X rate in order to be the best place to work in agriculture in Jalisco and most efficient an largest Agave growing company in the world within 5 years. The implementation of Lean techniques followed with controls have delivered record breaking deliveries in harvesting and panting. The expansion rate of 2X becomes more challenging as we need to lase, prepare and plant more than 6,000 Has in 2022. So far we have accomplished: Lowest rate of accidents in the history of the company. 20% increase in density without compromising competition among plant ( space between rows reduced with new tractor technologies) Implementation of drone technology in: chemical applications, Inventory counting and crop analysis (AI). Significant gains in labor efficiency with much better compensated crews and technology. Highest rate of inclusion and diversity among agave farming. Record breaking numbers in harvest and planting ( 2021 )

Ensure that the operations of NatureSweet in Mexico generate the resources required to transform the life of agricultural workers by unleashing their potential. Develop, implement, and report to the Manufacturing VP the strategies to achieve the HS&E, Environmental goals of the 5 plants in Mexico. Achieving the best results in the history of the company with WW safety and severity index. ( EFI certified the 5 plants) Responsible of the P&L of 90 Hectares of Hydroponic GH and the propagation and grafting facility (separated from the production ) and more than 1,100 associates . This accounts for all the grafted plants used @NatureSweet Mexico (17M grafting’s & 30M Lbs between Tomatoes & peppers. ) Growing and harvesting organic and conventional produce. Drive the organization to a continuous improvement mode and managing the operation as a top-notch manufacturing site, not a traditional farm or field operation.

Lead a powerful team that looks up and uniquely executes every Greenhouse & packaging operation to obtain the best tasting tomatoes in the market achieving the highest yields in the industry. Responsible for the P&L and the implementation of a continuous improvement culture in 113 hectares of Hydroponic Greenhouse area and a packaging operation that performs with excellence to fulfill our customers. MAIN FOCUS • Accountable for leading and unleashing the power of 2,200 high productive individuals to operate passionately with excellence on time, all the time.

Operating as Director of Control de Flamas SA de CV. This is a company dedicated to design and manufacture electronic controls for industrial and bakery burners known as Flame Safeguard Controls. Driving a reorganization effort in order to introduce new products to the market, increase the customer base, expand our presence to new markets (USA and Latin America) and reduce COG´s. During these 6 months , we launched 2 new categories of products, we issed 2 patent pending and a full new development of industrial burners in process. I reduced the COG´s in more than 25% by sourcing raw materials in USA and Asia, negotiating with vendors and developing new vendors.. In terms of productivity and applying Lean methodology we increased the productivity of our personal in 30% by a systematic elimination of the 7 waste defined in TPS.

Responsibility for the P&L, growth and continuous improvement of manufacturing side of the business. Under my responsibility I have 6 plants and 550 employees. The plants are divided in the following specializations: Construction tools and steel plate forming: (wheelbarrows, shovels, rakes, hedge shears, tampers, steel plate tool box), Mechanical tools (wrenches, sockets, ratchets & accessories), Striking tools (sledge hammers, hand hammers, straight bars, wrecking bars ), Plastics ( Injection and extrusion ) and a wood processing facility to provide all the wood handles for the tools. In Agust 2012 the company acquired a new plant to produce sock smith products ( bore locks and rim locks ), this plant is in full ramp up process. I have total responsibility over safety, cost, quality & delivery of the 6 plants previously mentioned. In this period of time and with the implementation of lean techniques and developing a great team of managers , I have achieved: • In 2011 and 2012 granted Las Mejores empresas Mexicanas Award • Start from a green field the plastic division for Extrusion of reinforced PVC hose, where we have grown to be the second largest producer in Mexico and supplier for Home Depot, and Injection Molding with the best plastic tool box in the market. • Increased inventory turns from 4 to 7 and increased service level to 98.5%. • Increase the participation of Manufactured products in overall sales in more than 15% on top of a impressive growth of the company of 2 digits year after year. • Issued 4 patents for the company • Eliminated the most recurrent customer complain by redesigning a tool and patent new design. • Increased output per person in 10% as an overall measure. • Reduced the amount of accidents, to the best performance ever in the history company. • Reduced warehouse space 30% releasing space for growth • Implement revers auction system for purchasing, with impressive savings.

I had full responsibility for the P&L safety, quality and delivery for the One Time Use Camera (OTUC) Operation in GDL. This facility manufactures 100% of the OTUC WW volume. Our working scheme for staffing the operation was under a variable labor structure (3100 operators on peak and 800 in valleys) I started a very aggressive program based on the Lean Manufacturing or KOS ( Kodak Operation System ) Initiatives . These leaded us to the following improvements: • New record in production for Kodak OTUC factory ( WW ). • Decrease inventory by 20%. • Increase the visual control and reduced defects to 600 DPPM. • Implement STD Work in all the assembly operations that allowed us to fluctuate from 800 operators to 3100 in less than 3 months year after year. • Developed a Lean Quality that can be certified with ISO 9000. • Introduced a Heijunka (level load) system for all the A items. • Increased the OEE of the machines with TPM teams to 90% in bottle neck equipments. • Increased the FPY (First Pass Yield) . • Introduced a Kanban system for raw materials. ( injection molding supplier, Film supplier, Cardboards, folding cartons, Batteries, Labels And all items consumed in a daily basis)

Iniciar el proyecto de cámars de un solo uso en la operación de Guadalajara. Mejorar y desarrollar proceso de ensamble para maximizar la eficiencia de las lineas de ensamble.T ser elcontacto directo con el área de ensamble para asuntos de tolerancias referentes a las cpámaras de un solo uso.

• CAPD manufacturing Project. • Form Fill Seal Serum and Ampoules • High Volume manufacturing of Vials. • ISO 9001 Implementation project. • Maintenance coordinator of the Plastic Serum Area. • Energy saving program ( 22% reduction due to power savings)

The program includes access to a large number of world-class MIT Sloan faculty teaching a broad range of topics including: leadership, innovation, organizational strategy, systems thinking and system dynamics, marketing (branding), communications, negotiations and finance.