Guy Roper takes over the reins from Matt Bolger, who stepped down at the end of last year following his appointment to Fonterra's senior management team.
Roper is an experienced director, with a strong background in the dairy industry and important role in the supply chain that enables New Zealand's dairy exports.
He's held a variety of roles in the dairy sector, including at Fonterra as Global Account Director for Nestlé and as Commercial Director of Global Trade and Ingredients, as well as a farmer-elected director of the former Kiwi Co-operative Dairies, one of the two co-operatives that merged to form Fonterra.
Brendhan Greaney, Tatua chief executive, speaking on behalf of the DCANZ executive committee, says DCANZ is pleased to welcome Roper to this role.
"His governance capabilities, combined with a wealth of relevant knowledge and experience from previous executive roles, and his general passion for improving New Zealand's prosperity through trade, will be important assets for DCANZ," he says.
Roper says he's excited to have this opportunity to contribute to a sector that he believes in and identifies with.
"The dairy industry plays an important role in New Zealand, and the leadership of dairy companies matters, especially in challenging times," he says.
