Tuesday, 31 January 2017 14:01

Fonterra director Spaans to step down

Written by 
Michael Spaans. Michael Spaans.

Fonterra director Michael Spaans is stepping down from the Fonterra Board due to ill health.

Spaans who is also chairman of DairyNZ, leaves the board tomorrow.

Fonterra said that it has agreed with Spaans that, when he is given a clean bill of health, he should consider standing again for the Fonterra Board.

Co-op chairman John Wilson said that Michael Spaans’ tireless contribution to the New Zealand dairy industry has been significant both inside and outside the Fonterra boardroom.

“Michael, a dairy farmer, came up through the ranks, spending time on the New Zealand Dairy Group Shareholder Council and then the Fonterra Shareholders’ Council before building his governance experience outside the industry,” Wilson says.

“As a result, his insights and experience are invaluable, particularly on Fonterra’s Milk Price Panel, Audit and Finance Committee and the Co-operative Relations Committee.”

Former director Ian Farrelly, who retired last December after serving nine years on the board, will fill the casual vacancy created by Spaan’s departure.

Wilson said that the Fonterra Constitution allowed for an appointment to fill a casual vacancy and that Farrelly’s appointment to fill the casual vacancy would continue until the 2017 Annual Meeting.

“Ian is a highly qualified director with very recent and valued experience on the Board,” said Wilson. “We are very grateful that he has agreed to continue his contribution to Fonterra”.

More like this

All eyes on NZ milk supply

All eyes are on milk production in New Zealand and its impact on global dairy prices in the coming months.

"Our" business?

OPINION: One particular bone the Hound has been gnawing on for years now is how the chattering classes want it both ways when it comes to the success of NZ's dairy industry.

Farmers' call

OPINION: Fonterra's $4.22 billion consumer business sale to Lactalis is ruffling a few feathers outside the dairy industry.

Wasted energy

OPINION: Finance Minister Nicola Willis could have saved her staff and MBIE time and effort over ‘buttergate’ recently by not playing politics with butter prices in the first place.

Featured

All eyes on NZ milk supply

All eyes are on milk production in New Zealand and its impact on global dairy prices in the coming months.

National

Machinery & Products

JDLink Boost for NZ farms

Connectivity is widely recognised as one of the biggest challenges facing farmers, but it is now being overcome through the…

New generation Defender HD11

The all-new 2026 Can-Am Defender HD11 looks likely to raise the bar in the highly competitive side-by-side category.

» Latest Print Issues Online

Milking It

Building trust

OPINION: The war of words between Southland farmers and Environment Southland over winter grazing inspections reflects a deep lack of trust…

No Joy

OPINION: Milking It understands a formal disciplinary process is being conducted by Victoria University of Wellington on what one of…

» Connect with Dairy News

» eNewsletter

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter