increase font size
Mike Cronin's appointment comes amid media speculation on the future of chief executive Theo Spierings (pictured).
The appointment of Mike Cronin as Fonterra's managing director corporate affairs has been welcomed as "a good Kiwi voice" in the co-op's management team.
One dairy insider, speaking on condition of anonymity, says Cronin is "a very sound man" with legal background.
Cronin will lead a team responsible for enhancing and protecting Fonterra's brand and reputation – including governance and legal, health and safety, food safety and quality, brand, social responsibility and communications, and stakeholder affairs.
His appointment comes amid media speculation on the future of chief executive Theo Spierings. The co-op has denied reports Spierings is preparing to step down, to be replaced by Air New Zealand chief executive Christopher Luxon.
The dairy insider says "communication faux pas" have been made on Spierings' watch, notably the move to curb PKE use on farm and how this was communicated to farmers.
Farmers are facing their third season of below average payout; and some are not happy with the way they have been treated by Fonterra.
Having executive management team members who don't speak English as their first language has also been a communication challenge to shareholders.
Announcing Cronin's appointment, Spierings says his connection with the business and its risk and reputation drivers, make him the natural choice for the role.
"Mike has extensive experience in corporate risk and reputation management, and providing trusted strategic counsel to the cooperative. He has in-depth understanding of New Zealand and the cooperative, and the internal and external dynamics of our business.
The co-op has also appointed Joanne Fair, currently Fonterra's regional director ingredients SE Asia, as managing director people and culture, effective July 1, 2016.
Spierings says Fair is ideally placed to lead the cooperative's people and culture team. She has a strong background and expertise in human resources and has held global and regional commercial leadership roles, having worked with Fonterra in NZ, Latin America, Europe and South East Asia.
Up she goes
The first GDT auction for the season saw a 3.4% rise in the price index. However, the flagship whole milk powder price dropped 1.7% to US2200/tonne.
Skim milk powder was a big winner, rising 12% to US$1867/tonne. Cheddar prices rose 7.8% to US$2669/t.
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.
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.
An A$2 billion bid for Fonterra's Oceania business would be great news, according to Forsyth Barr senior analyst, equities, Matt Montgomerie.
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.
Meat Industry Association (MIA) independent chair Nathan Guy says getting meat processors involved has been a shot in the arm for the sector's key marketing initiative into China, Taste Pure Nature.
OPINION: Nothing it seems can be done in the short term to get Donald Trump to change his mind about removing the unfair 15% tariffs that he’s imposed on New Zealand exports to the US.
A charity that connects young people with farmers for two years of on-farm training is reporting 150 student applications for its 2026 intake.
It’s been a long time coming, but the FMG Young Farmer of the Year Grand Final is returning to the Naki for Season 58.
The Government has appointed three new members to the board of state farmer Landcorp Farming Ltd, trading as Pāmu.
North Canterbury pig farmer Steve Sterne has been honoured with NZ Pork's Outstanding Contribution Award, recognising his 27 years of dedication to excellence in the sector.
Hawke's Bay's loss is Canterbury's gain with the opening of a new state-of-the-art soil testing laboratory for the Ravensdown subsidiary ARL (Analytical Research Laboratories) at Rolleston.
OPINION: Sydney has a $12 million milk disposal problem.
OPINION: Canterbury milk processor Synlait's recovery seems to have hit another snag.
