NZ: T&G announces management shake-up - FreshFruitPortal.com

NZ: T&G announces management shake-up

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NZ: T&G announces management shake-up

New Zealand fruit company Turners & Growers has announced a management shuffle following the takeover from German business BayWa, with experienced executive Geoff Hipkins as CEO.

Hipkins was recently the chief executive of retirement village company Oceania Group, while before that he had management roles with Ngai Tahu Seafood Limited and Murrumbidgee Irrigation Limited, as well as marketing management roles at Sealord Products Limited and the Forestry Corporation of New Zealand.

Turners & Growers CEO Geoff Hipkins

BayWa has brought across Klaus Josef Lutz as chairman, Harald Hamster-Egerer as chief financial officer, Dr. Philipp Wahl as chief operating officer and Andreas Helber as a director.

"Mr Hipkins brings a depth of experience from growth and restructuring roles over the last two decades in New Zealandā€™s primary export sector," says Lutz.

The shake-up also includes the addition of two high profile New Zealand executives Sir John Anderson and John Wilson as independent directors.

Anderson is chairman of four New Zealand companies including agricultural services business PGG Wrightson, while he is also a director of the Commonwealth Bank of Australia, which is among the world's 20 safest banks according to Fitch Ratings. He was formerly chief executive of ANZ National Bank and former chairman of New Zealand Cricket.

Wilson has been on the board of directors for the world's largest dairy cooperative Fonterra since 2003 and has held several leadership roles within New Zealand's dairy industry.

The German influence

Lutz says BayWa's existing supply chain expertise will be made available to Turners & Growers, bringing benefits to its logistical and distributional functions.

"BayWaā€™s experience in working in partnership with apple growers in Southern Germany may be particularly relevant to achieving sustainable returns for growers of New Zealandā€™s premium apple varieties," he says.

"We believe that New Zealand is well placed to develop and produce apples to satisfy Asian demand. We see an excellent future for the industry given the efficiencies that can be achieved from consolidating distribution and logistics and working in closer partnership with growers.

"The coordination of T&Gā€™s European operations with BayWaā€™s distribution network may create additional high value markets for New Zealand grown lemons, blueberries and other fresh produce."

Lutz himself has extensive experience in the restructuring and development of companies, and at BayWa is responsible for the building materials segment, as well as personnel, corporate business development, marketing, public relations and internal auditing.

Hamster-Egerer has been at BayWa since 2003 and previously worked worked as a banker and financial controller in a global, German headquartered, chemical company and was responsible for the financial guidance of companies in Europe, the U.S., South Africa and Asia.

Wahl started out his career at UC Berkeley in San Francisco and the automotive industry in South Carolina, before returning to Germany to work for a management consulting firm. He has been at BayWA since 2009 and currently heads up its corporate business development division.

Helber has been CFO at BayWa since 2010 and previously worked at KPMG as a tax consultant and auditor.

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