Wednesday, 28 October 2015 15:30

Fonterra appoints new Oceania head

Written by 
Judith Swales. Judith Swales.

Fonterra has appointed Judith Swales to the new role of managing director for Oceania.

Swales, the co-op's managing director for Australia since 2013, will report directly to Fonterra chief executive Theo Spierings.

Spierings says Swales was the natural choice to lead Oceania, which is comprised of Fonterra's Australian business and its New Zealand consumer businesses, including Tip Top.

"Judith has a great understanding of consumers and their relationship to brands and has proven her ability to build effective partnerships in the highly competitive supermarket sector in Australia. By having Judith lead Oceania we are ensuring the growth of our brands on both sides of the Tasman.

"Judith also has extensive experience in business transformation and has led the reshaping of our Australian operations. She will continue to progress our detailed plan to lift our performance and profitability in Australia."

Swales joined Fonterra following leadership roles with Heinz Australasia and Goodyear Dunlop Australia

Fonterra Brands NZ will continue to run as a standalone business in New Zealand, under the managing director Jonathan Box, who will report to Swales. Fonterra is working through a process to appoint a permanent person to this role.

Swales will remain based in Melbourne, and her appointment takes effect November 1.

More like this

Cynical politics

OPINION: There is zero chance that someone who joined Fonterra as a lobbyist, then served as a general manager of Fonterra's nutrient management programme, and sat on the board of Export NZ, a division of lobbyist group Business New Zealand, doesn't understand that local butter (and milk and cheese) prices are set by the international commodity price.

Why is butter so expensive in New Zealand? Fonterra explains

Kiwis love their butter, and that's great because New Zealand produces some of the best butter in the world. But when the price of butter goes up, it's tough for some, particularly when many other grocery staples have also gone up and the heat goes on co-operative Fonterra, the country's main butter maker. Here the co-op explains why butter prices are so high right now.

NZ vs Aussie beef

OPINION: Your old mate hears that at a recent China Business Summit, PM Christopher Luxon delivered a none-too-subtle "could try harder" report card on the red meat industry regarding its exports to China - particularly when compared to Australia.

Featured

Why is butter so expensive in New Zealand? Fonterra explains

Kiwis love their butter, and that's great because New Zealand produces some of the best butter in the world. But when the price of butter goes up, it's tough for some, particularly when many other grocery staples have also gone up and the heat goes on co-operative Fonterra, the country's main butter maker. Here the co-op explains why butter prices are so high right now.

National

Machinery & Products

Fliegl offers effluent solutions

Founded in Germany as recently as 1977, today, the Fliegl Group employs more than 1100 workers, offering an expansive range…

» Latest Print Issues Online

Milking It

Taxonomy talk

OPINION: Is the Government's taxonomy proposal dead in the water?

Cynical politics

OPINION: There is zero chance that someone who joined Fonterra as a lobbyist, then served as a general manager of…

» Connect with Dairy News

» eNewsletter

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter