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Fonterra CEO Spierings is new GDP chairman

By Jim Cornall

- Last updated on GMT

Spierings takes over as GDP chairman from DFA CEO Rick Smith.
Spierings takes over as GDP chairman from DFA CEO Rick Smith.

Related tags Fonterra co-operative group Management occupations Corporate governance

Global Dairy Platform (GDP) has appointed Fonterra’s chief executive officer, Theo Spierings, as GDP chairman.

"Through the Global Dairy Platform, we will continue to push forward with a global effort to make the goodness of dairy contribute more by providing better nutrition, empowering our communities and promoting sustainable agriculture,”​ Spierings said.

"We have made good progress since GDP was formed 11 years ago. At the same time if we are to make a real difference in a world where the pace of change is picking up, we need to be getting better every day and this will take real conviction and belief,"​ he added.

Spierings, who has been a director on the GDP board since 2012, will succeed Dairy Farmers of America CEO Rick Smith, who has chaired the organization since 2015.

Smith will continue to serve on the board along with Arla Foods CEO Peder Tuborgh and Royal FrieslandCampina CEO Roelof Joosten.

Additional governance members are Jacqueline Chow, deputy chair of the GDP board and chair of the operational committee, Fonterra Co-operative Group Limited; Dr Margrethe Jonkman, deputy chair-elect of the GDP board and chair-elect of the operational committee, corporate director research & development, Royal FrieslandCampina; Dr Judith Bryans, president, International Dairy Federation; Miles Hurrell, chief operating officer-Farm Source, Fonterra Co-operative Group Limited; Jerry Kaminski, executive vice president, chief operating officer, International, Land O'Lakes, Inc.; Hanne Sondergaard, executive vice president and chief marketing officer, Marketing & Innovation, Arla Foods amba; Frank van Ooijen, director communications and sustainability, Royal FrieslandCampina; Jay Waldvogel, senior vice president of strategy and international development, Dairy Farmers of America, Inc.

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