Guy Cowan
After year-long global search, Fonterra has appointed new chief financial officer with truly international background.
Guy Cowan (53) is British citizen who was born in Argentina and educated in Brazil and England. He speaks fluent Spanish and Portuguese, and during 23-year career with Shell International has held key finance roles in Europe, Latin America, Africa, Australia and the United States.
Currently vice-president finance for Shell Oil in the United States, Cowan takes up his new role on March 1 and says both he and his family (his wife is Australian) are looking forward to the lifestyle opportunities that go along with being based in New Zealand.
He is also attracted to the operational challenges of the Fonterra job.
“I look forward to helping Fonterra achieve its business objectives and to helping develop world-class finance organisation.”
In announcing the appointment last month, Fonterra CEO Andrew Ferrier said the company would benefit from Cowan’s strong track record across wide range of business disciplines relevant to its own operations.
“Guy’s vast experience in the financial management of complex and geographically diverse multinational business the size and scale of Shell as well as his knowledge of commodity markets, mergers and acquisitions, risk management and treasury operations will be of great benefit to Fonterra.”
The company had the luxury of being under no pressure to make an appointment until it found the best candidate to handle its $11.8 billion revenue as the company’s former CFO Graham Stuart has remained in an acting role while also taking on the newly created position of Fonterra’s group director for strategy and growth.
Rob Hart
A former New Zealand test wicketkeeper, who represented the country from 2002-2004, Hart has now scored the role of corporate affairs manager with integrated forestry company Winstone Pulp International (WPI). This will involve guiding WPI’s environmental policies – particularly with regard to meeting its obligations under the Kyoto Protocol which comes into force in New Zealand early this year. Hart took up the position last month.
Chris Morris
Total information and communication business solutions provider Velocity Global has appointed Morris, formerly the company’s general manager, as its chief executive officer. Prior to joining Velocity Global he held sales and marketing roles with Praxa, Centron and Trilogy.
Greg Camm
Camm takes up his new role as managing director of AMP Financial Services New Zealand this month. He joins AMP from 15-year tenure with ANZ Banking Group where his most recent role was managing director, personal wealth and distribution.
Debra Northmore, Karren Beanland,
Mobile internet provider WordDial has appointed Northmore as its chief operating officer. Her past experience includes various sales and marketing management roles, her most recent position before joining WordDial being general manager, sales and marketing for Intercity & Newmans Coaches. Beanland joins the board of directors. Currently involved in the internet business speeches.com, she was group manager, corporate affairs for Ports of Auckland from 1996 until 2001.
Stephen Hall
Genesis Research and Development Corporation has appointed Hall, the head of corporate services since September 2000, as its new chief executive. Prior to joining Genesis, Hall held senior management roles at St Lukes Group, Watercare Services, Smith & Smith Glass, Feltex Group, and Boart Australia.
Mike Brown
Brown is the new general manager at the Carlton Hotel, Auckland. His most recent position was with the Asia Pacific Carlton Hotel Group as general manager, Carlton Crest Hotel, Sydney.
Terry Roper, Emin Rufati
3M New Zealand has made two senior management appointments. Roper (top), an employee since 1976, has been appointed to the newly created position of corporate marketing/public affairs and IT manager; Rufati, previously corporate accounting manager for 3M Australia, is the company’s new finance manager. He replaces Michael Ware who is now finance manager for 3M Asia Pacific.
Richard Mangnall
Phitek Systems has appointed Mangnall as chief operating officer. He was previously with Navman NZ as R&D/product development manager for the Personal and Car Navigation (PCN) division.
Gavin Wright
Wright, the managing director and chief executive officer of Fraame Solutions, has been re-elected chairman of the New Zealand Health Information Technology Cluster. He has headed the cluster for the past two years.
Stephen Jones
After four-year stint with Air New Zealand, Jones was last year appointed general manager of low-cost carrier Freedom Air. He replaces Michael Young who has been acting GM since the death of Wayne Dodge early last year. Young takes up strategic management position within Air New Zealand.
Mathew Taylor
Simpson Grierson has promoted Taylor to chief operating officer. Most recently head of the business services department for the commercial law firm, his new role also combines his previous role of commercial director.
