Esther Guy-Meakin Appointed Chief Executive of the NZ Meat Board
Esther Guy-Meakin has been announced as the new chief executive of the New Zealand Meat Board (NZMB).
In 2021, Beeby was made NZMB’s general manager of quota and information and has been acting chief executive since July 2024, when Sam McIvor departed the role.
Beeby resigned as general manager for market development at Beef + Lamb New Zealand in December 2024.
He is currently chair of New Zealand Farm Assurance Incorporated (NZFAI), which oversees the New Zealand Farm Assurance Programme.
The NZMB is responsible for achieving the best possible ongoing returns from sheepmeat and beef exports to international quota markets.
It currently oversees $2.6 billion of red meat exports to the quota markets of the European, United Kingdom, and United States, representing tariff savings of $934 million a year for the sector.
The board also administers farmer reserves, currently standing at $79m, held as a contingency fund to help New Zealand re-enter export markets in the event of a biosecurity incursion or disruption in quota markets.
It allocates interest and dividends, after reserve expenses from this fund, in consultation with farmers, for industry good projects such as the Eliminating Facial Eczema Impacts (EFEI) programme.
Kate Acland, chair of the NZMB, says the board is “pleased” to appoint Beeby to the role.
“He is highly experienced and respected in the red meat sector and already has significant knowledge about the NZMB and its work in our global markets,” Acland says.
Beeby says the board continues to play a key role in helping the industry navigate uncertainty and volatility.
“Global trading conditions remain challenging, but our sector’s resilience is strengthened by the critical role our quota system plays in securing tariff-free access to key markets like the European Union, the United Kingdom, and the United States,” he says.
“In these challenging times, the Board’s role in supporting preferential access into quota markets, managing contingency reserves and supporting industry innovation through funding critical research is more important than ever.”
