Cargill Leader Shifted IT Strategy to In-House Roles
The company reduced IT outsourcing from 90% to 60% to improve outcomes through internal employees.
Updated on Sept. 22, 2026 in Remote Work
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Jennifer Hartsock, named 2026 Executive of the Year, has pivoted Cargill's IT staffing model by bringing roles back in-house. This strategy reflects a broader move to prioritize internal expertise over external service providers.
Why it matters
Hartsock believes that direct employees who are aligned with company purpose produce superior operational results compared to outsourced staff. The shift addresses the need for deeper integration between technical talent and core production processes.
Cargill has reduced its IT outsourcing from a previous 90% to its current level of 60%. The company aims to bring more than half of its total IT roles in-house within the next year.
The players
Jennifer Hartsock
The 2026 Executive of the Year who leads digital transformation efforts at Cargill.
Cargill
A global food and agriculture corporation that uses AI and computer vision to optimize its production and supply chain.
The details
Since assuming her leadership role in 2022, Hartsock has integrated AI and computer vision into food production and supply chain operations, such as analyzing chicken gut microbiomes and assisting beef-plant workers. This technical integration requires staff that are deeply embedded in the company culture. By reducing reliance on external providers, Cargill aims to foster greater commitment to long-term operational performance.
Timeline
2022: Jennifer Hartsock stepped into her current role at Cargill.
2026: Jennifer Hartsock was named Executive of the Year.
Next year or so: Cargill expects the majority of its IT roles to be in-house.
Market Landscape
Cargill’s pivot follows a documented industry trend where large-scale enterprises move away from high-volume IT outsourcing to gain better control over proprietary AI initiatives. This shift contrasts with the traditional model of offloading technical functions to maximize short-term savings.
Operators should evaluate whether outsourcing technical functions is creating a disconnect between their company purpose and the quality of output. Assessing the cost-benefit of bringing core digital roles in-house may be necessary for firms scaling AI and automation.
The takeaway
Technical success now hinges on aligning IT staff with core company purpose rather than just labor cost reduction. Evaluate your firm’s current outsourcing ratio to determine if bringing core technical talent back in-house would improve long-term operational performance.
Further reading
Learn more about organizational design and talent models in our Remote Work section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by TIME.
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