I originally planned a career in dairying and from school took a labouring job at the Te Puke Dairy Company. This led to the company sending me to Massey University for a diploma in Dairy Technology.

I returned to Katikati in the late 1970’s converting a block of land and the family property from dairying to Kiwifruit. And the rest, as they say is history…

Hume Pack-N-Cool is a company with real family values and a family feel and I pride myself on being a very hands-on Director and can say with hand on heart that I keep fully informed in all aspects of the company and wider industry.  I'm involved in the whole process from growing to packing to cool-storage, then often travelling overseas to see the fruit in the market! I am a commited member of many industry groups.

Originally from Hamilton, I moved to the Bay in 2021 with my family after almost 20 yrs in Australia, residing just outside of Katikati on an avocado orchard with my hubby, teenage son and furry friend.  With a Post-Grad in Human Resources Management and after many years in People & Culture roles in NZ and overseas, I branched out into Executive roles including manufacturing, logistics, marcomms and risk management.  Currently the GM - Operations for Quayside Holdings (a $2.8 billion investment company focussed on intergenerational wealth for the Bay of Plenty), I also run my own HR business, am the Event Manager for Beach 5s rugby in Australia and N.Z, and I am privileged to be a Board Director on the Bay of Plenty Rugby Union.

I am rugby mad, with a real love for travel and the outdoors with a family that focusses on 'active' relaxing.  Our orcharding introduction has been a tough one, but with challenge comes opportunity, including working with Hume in an industry that is dynamic and has a lot of change on the horizon.

My journey began in South Africa with aspirations of becoming an accountant, yet my path has taken me beyond those initial plans. Having traversed multiple countries and experiences, I have evolved into a seasoned director.

A diverse background includes steering transformative initiatives and overseeing finances across a spectrum of sectors, spanning from financial services to education. Committed to the principles of Good Governance, I values the potency of dialogue and collaboration in tackling challenges head-on.

With a pragmatic approach grounded in action, I integrate business acumen with a deep understanding of governance principles into my roles.

I bring extensive experience and a fresh perspective to governance. Raised amidst Katikati's kiwifruit orchards, my passion for agriculture ignited early. My academic journey at Massey University, culminating in a Masters in Science and a Masters in Dairy Science and Technology, laid the foundation for my expertise in this field.

Joining Fonterra in 2012, I have held various roles spanning technical, manufacturing, and management domains.

Driven by a desire to contribute in new capacities, I embrace opportunities to transition my expertise into governance. Joining Hume Pack-N-Cool's board, I brings insights and strategic vision. With dedication to excellence, I am well-positioned to drive positive change for the company.

I am a dairy farmer’s son out of the Waikato, which was where I first developed my passion for the primary sector.

After school, I traded in milking cows for studying at Waikato University, where I completed my honours degree majoring in Finance and Economics.

It wasn’t long and I found myself drawn back to the primary sector as a finance professional. I worked in rural banking for a period of five years and subsequently moved to kiwifruit in 2018 where I joined the team at Baygold Limited as CFO. In this role I have been able to learn about growing and developing kiwifruit orchards and expand my financial skills to positively influence successful outcomes.

I am excited about the journey that Hume Pack-N-Cool is on and am thrilled to have the opportunity to use my financial experience to add value to the business. I am also excited to expand my scope within the kiwifruit supply chain.

After growing up in Cambridge on a deer farm, I studied mechanical engineering at Auckland University and have been working within the industrial automation industry for the last 17 years within food processing, textile manufacturing, fruit sorting and aviation sectors. More recently, after completing my MBA, my focus has been around ensuring the commercial success of innovation and technology in various industries.

While previous roles have taken me around the globe, I am currently based in Auckland with my wife and our weekends are largely filled with renovations before the arrival of our first-born, but otherwise I like to get out fishing or mountain biking.

Since stepping on to the board, I have been staggered by the opportunities in front of Hume; it is an exciting time to be part of a high-growth industry and a company well placed to take advantage of this growth.