Editorial: Punching Above Our Weight
OPINION: With 10,500 dairy farms, New Zealand continues to punch above its weight around the world.
Fonterra chief executive officer Theo Spierings has announced members of his senior management team as part of a reshaping of the organisation to deliver on its group strategy refresh announced in late March.
Eleven of the 12 new Fonterra management team roles have been filled, all by internal appointments: "From day one I have been impressed by the quality of people at Fonterra and it is great to be able to draw on this strong bench strength when assembling our team," Spierings says.
"With our refreshed group strategy confirmed, we have now aligned our business to deliver on our strategic priorities.
"The new structure and senior appointments reflect our focus on dairy nutrition and emerging markets, as well as our intention to reduce layers and duplication to drive efficiencies across the business."
In line with the group S=strategy, Fonterra has formed new business divisions to grow emerging markets in China/India and Latin America, as well as a new global Fonterra Nutrition business to build the nutrition portfolio across the business, driven by innovation.
"These changes, along with re-configuration of existing business units and the support functions within the company, will position us to increase volumes and value in line with our strategy," Spierings says.
The new Fonterra management team comprises:
• Chief financial officer, Jonathan Mason
• Managing director, group optimisation and supply chain, Ian Palliser
• Group general manager, strategy, Maury Leyland
• Group general manager, mergers and acquisitions, Paul Campbell
• Managing director, cooperative affairs, Todd Muller
• Managing director people, culture and services. Position to be confirmed.
• Managing director, New Zealand Milk, Gary Romano
• Managing director, Australia New Zealand, John Doumani
• Managing director, ASEAN/Middle East/North Africa, Mark Wilson
• Managing director China/India, Kelvin Wickham
• Managing director Latin America, Alex Turnbull
• Managing director, Fonterra Nutrition, Sarah Kennedy
Spierings says the new organisation structure would take full effect from the start of the financial year on August 1, 2012.
Potatoes New Zealand has congratulated Peter Reynolds of TA Reynolds Ltd in Pukekohe on being awarded the Horticulture New Zealand Bledisloe Cup, recognising a lifetime of service and contribution to New Zealand horticulture.
Signing up to a benchmarking tool is not about competition, but about improving collectively, says Ximena Puig and Alvaro Luzardo who are 50-50 sharemilkers at a 164-hectare (effective) dairy farm in Eketāhuna in the Lower North Island.
A leading British farming politician says he's impressed with the positive attitude of New Zealand farmers that he met during his recent trip here.
OPINION: With 10,500 dairy farms, New Zealand continues to punch above its weight around the world.
The Southern Dairy Hub (SDH), which runs a demonstration farm for South Island farmers, has a new general manager.
Esther Guy-Meakin has been announced as the new chief executive of the New Zealand Meat Board (NZMB).

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