ABOUT US

Dr Warren Parker was appointed as Chairman of the Board on 1 January 2019. Warren is a former chief executive of Scion (the NZ Forest Research Institute) and Landcare Research and was previously chief operating officer of AgResearch.

He currently holds a number of board roles including on Predator Free 2050 Ltd, Farmlands Co-operative Society, Genomics Aotearoa and is the chair of the Forestry Ministerial Advisory Group. Until recently, he was chair of the New Zealand Conservation Authority.

Warren has a PhD in animal science and was previously a Professor of Agribusiness and Resource Management at Massey University, where he spent 18 years in various roles, including supervising the 9,000 stock unit Roversdale Farm in the Wairarapa.

Belinda was appointed to the Pāmu Board in May 2018. A climate economist, she is a principal investigator with the Deep South National Science Challenge and is a professional member of the Royal Society of New Zealand.

Belinda has a MBA in Finance from Columbia University of New York and a Masters in Disaster Risk from the University of Canterbury. As Managing Director of Climate Sigma she provides scenario analysis and asset valuation on the physical and transition risk from climate change.

Previously, Belinda advised executive teams in the US, UK, Australia, and New Zealand on organisational performance. Belinda was raised on the dairy farm in the North Waikato where her Irish family settled in the 1870s with the support of Ngati Mahuta at Taniwha.

Nigel was appointed to the Pāmu Board in April 2018. He has over 25 years’ experience in finance covering corporate finance, treasury risk management, and banking.

He is currently a director and shareholder of TDB Advisory Limited - a corporate finance and economics advisory company. Prior to this, he was ANZ corporate banking’s regional executive in the southern region for four years and prior to that spent five years in New Zealand Dairy Board’s treasury.

Nigel is currently a director of two farming companies that have dairy, arable, and sheep and beef assets and is on a number of dairy advisory boards. He has previously been a director of Open Country Dairy Limited and a number of dairy product manufacturing businesses.

Jo was appointed to the Pāmu Board in September 2019. She has a background in leadership across a range of primary sectors including agribusiness, wine, food and beverage manufacturing and fast-moving consumer goods. Jo has worked for privately-owned businesses, small and medium-sized enterprises and global multinationals based in Aotearoa, and has extensive offshore experience in Australia, South Africa, Europe and Asia.

Passionate about Aotearoa’s primary food and fibre sectors, Jo has considerable strategic and commercial marketing experience supporting businesses achieve sustainable value through her expertise in supporting company purpose and values development, consumer insight, innovation and branding.

In addition to her role on the Pāmu Board, Jo is an independent director for Kono NZ, on the Governance Group for Our Land & Water – Toitū te Whenua, Toiora te Wai, is the Independent Chair for the Timber Design Centre and is an active mentor.

Dr Tanira Kingi (Ngati Whakaue/Te Arawa) was appointed to the Pāmu Board in July 2020. Tanira has an extensive background in agricultural systems, land economics and forestry across New Zealand’s primary industry sectors. Tanira is currently a research consultant and science advisor following a research academic career with Massey University, AgResearch and Scion for almost 30 years.

Tanira has a PhD in Agricultural Economics and Development from the Australian National University and a MAppSci (Hons) in agricultural systems management from Massey University. He is currently on several ministerial advisory groups for freshwater and climate change and was previously a member of Pāmu’s Environment Reference Group.

Tanira is an Emeritus Scientist (Scion), Climate Change Commissioner, advisor to the Ministries of Environment and Primary Industries and holds several directorships on agribusiness entities including the chair of Te Arawa Arataua (Te Arawa Primary Sector Group). Tanira is affiliated to Ngati Whakaue, Ngati Rangitihi, Ngati Rangiteaorere (Te Arawa whanui) and Ngati Awa (Te Arawa Arataua).

Paula was appointed to the Pāmu board in 2022. She has extensive experience in finance, leadership, and governance roles across a range of sectors.

Paula is now an Independent Director and currently holds governance roles with Ministry for the Environment – Manatu Mo Te Taiao, Northland Events Centre (2021) Trust – Te Pae Taurima o Te Tai Tokerau, Mahitahi Hauora, Mount Wellington Trust Hotels Ltd and New Zealand Rugby League. Previous roles include New Zealand Avocado, Ara Taiohi, Foundation North, and New Zealand Football.

Paula brings a strong strategic focus and lateral thinking to her roles.

Her qualifications are a Bachelor of Commerce from Auckland University, a Chartered Accountant of the Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand and a Chartered Member of the Institute of Directors New Zealand.

Paula and her husband own an avocado orchard in Northland.

Nick Pyke was chief executive of the Foundation for Arable Research for over two decades, from its formation until 2018, directing the delivery of the research and extension needs to 2700 cropping farmers throughout New Zealand.

Nick is currently the Chair of AGMARDT (The Agricultural and Marketing Research and Development Trust). AGMARDT is an independent, not-for-profit organisation with a track record of making targeted investments that make a positive contribution to the agricultural, horticultural and forestry industries. He is also a director of Cropmark Seeds and AgInnovate New Zealand, providing research consultancy and governance services to agricultural businesses, and co-founder of Leftfield Innovation, a social enterprise business which aims to develop sustainable diversified land use options for New Zealand farmers.

Nick has a Bachelor of Science and a Masters in Plant Science, both from Massey University.

Claire has a Bachelor of Veterinary Science and after 12 years in clinical practice, took on the role of General Manager at Intervet NZ, followed by a business development role at Agrifeeds.

Claire is currently Chief Executive of Sirona Animal Health Ltd. Claire is a director of the Taranaki-based Māori farming group, Parininihi ki Waitōtara and is a director for Farmlands Co-operative. Additionally she is on the NZAGGRC advisory groups for greenhouse gas research and an Otago University project developing new animal health products.

Claire is a graduate of the Hillary Leadership Programme, the Agri-Women’s Development Trust’s Accelerator Programme, Fonterra’s Governance Development Programme and was a Fonterra Dairy Women of the Year finalist. Claire believes we are placed here to be the Kaitiaki (guardians) of our lands, ensuring prosperity for future generations. Claire enjoys water-based activities that the beautiful Bay of Plenty offers, travel, cycling, sailing, and skiing with her husband and adult sons.

Desiree (Tuhoe) was appointed to the board of Pāmu in June 2022. Desiree brings substantial governance and management experience largely from Education, For Purpose and Social Enterprise sectors. Desiree has previously won the Emerging Director award at the Institute of Directors, Otago Branch and chaired boards who have been finalists/winners in the Women in Governance and Charity Reporting Awards.

With degrees in Law and Education and a legal career specialising in Māori land law, Desiree is the principal of Tika Tonu Limited, a business consultancy service that works to support a full spectrum of enterprises and individuals to get things right. Desiree has previously been the CEO of the Malcam Charitable Trust and Director of Maori Learner Success at the Otago Polytechnic.

Desiree is the Manukura (Chair) of Te Hou Ora Whanau Services, a Director on Thankyou Payroll Limited and a Trustee of the Happy You Charitable Trust. Desiree is passionate about social change and brings a long term, passionately Maori, community development perspective to the Pāmu board.

Desiree has a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) and a Bachelor of Teaching from the University of Otago.

Mark is the CEO of Pāmu (Landcorp Farming) and has 25 years of experience in the Agricultural Industry including roles in operations, logistics, technology and product development, and quality assurance. Prior to joining Pāmu Mr Leslie was COO at Silver Fern Farms, and before that spent nearly two decades at Fonterra including as head of the operations and supply chain component of the brands business in New Zealand and, previously had responsibility for the operation of the 94 ingredients plants across Fonterra’s 27 sites along with the associated milk collection activities.

Mark has also held several Board and Ministerial Advisory roles and chaired the Fonterra and Silver Fern Farms joint venture company Kotahi (which provides freight logistics solutions to a number of key New Zealand exporters and importers) for six years and the Pastoral Greenhouse Gas Research Consortium. He holds a Bachelor of Agricultural Science (Hons) and a Masters of Business Administration (with Distinction), both from Massey University.

He grew up on a dairy farm in Reporoa on the North Island’s Central Plateau.

Steve McJorrow was appointed in April 2014. Steve has a strong range of skills and experience in finance, strategy development and private equity. He has held financial leadership roles in various companies including CFO of the Bennelong Group, a large Australian private equity firm, Group Financial Controller of AWB (Australian Wheat Board), an international marketer of Australian grain and farm inputs, Head of Decision Support for the National Australia Bank Retail Banking Division (Melbourne), and for Personal Financial Services, Bank of New Zealand (Auckland).

Steve started his career with Ernst & Young in Wellington and San Francisco, and most recently co-founded Cornish College, an independent school in Melbourne.

Steve’s responsibilities as CFO include the supply of strategic, operational and financial information and analysis to the Board, CE and management of Pāmu and ensuring that the procurement and legal functions support achieving the company’s objectives and maintaining its competitive position. Steve is of Ngati Kahungunu descent.

Andrew joined Pāmu in January 2016 from Melbourne, Australia where he was the co-Head of Aquila Capital Farms - the agricultural investment division of the Aquila group focusing on farm investments in New Zealand and Australia. Before Aquila, Andrew spent eight years in Australia, New Zealand and Hong Kong with Macquarie Bank, eventually becoming the Head of Macquarie’s Agriculture Funds business in Asia.

Andrew has worked with some of the world’s largest investment funds as well as small private investors to make investments into the agricultural sector. Prior to Macquarie Bank, Andrew held finance roles in New Zealand and the United Kingdom. Andrew was born and bred in Wellington before heading to the University of Otago to complete his bachelors and postgraduate qualifications.

Steve Tickner was appointed as General Manager of Livestock Operations in December 2019. Steve joined Pāmu almost 10 years ago and has worked in a variety of roles across our livestock business including South Island Livestock Marketing Manager (2010 – 2014), Livestock Logistics Manager (2014 – 2017), and Senior Business Manager (2017 -2019).

Prior to working at Pāmu, Steve worked for Hyde Park Farms Ltd (now O’Brien Group) as Operations Manager in the southern Rangitikei, where he had a focus on managing conversion of extensive dryland cattle operation to irrigated dairy.

In his current role, Steve oversees the livestock portfolio which consists of 60 sheep, cattle and deer farms. Our livestock business has a key focus on production and expenditure control - while influencing prices through robust contract pricing, and delivering agreed volumes of quality product, on time and to customer specification.

Sarah was appointed to this role in November 2014. Sarah is a marketing, innovation and business development executive who has worked globally creating significant value in premium value dairy categories in emerging markets of China, Asia, Latin America and Europe.

Sarah studied B. Tech (Food) at Massey University and gained significant early experience in dairy food technology and sales support roles in New Zealand and offshore. Since then she has held innovation, marketing and business development roles in New Zealand, Mexico and Singapore. Her breadth of experience includes trade marketing for Business to Business Dairy Ingredients globally, FMCG dairy brands and establishing corporate social responsibility initiatives in partnership with other businesses and NGOs.

Sarah joined Pāmu from Fonterra where she was Marketing Director of Advanced Nutrition in Fonterra’s Global Brands and Nutrition division. Sarah’s key responsibilities are to work closely with meat, milk and fibre customers and partners to meet the demands of niche global markets, resulting in premium prices for our products.

Alistair joined Pāmu in 2014 as General Counsel and Company Secretary. Alistair has had a variety of roles in-house and in private practice.

He joined Pāmu from Buddle Findlay where he was a Senior Associate in the Corporate & Finance team. Prior to that, he spent three years as a legal counsel with Westpac and was in private practice in New Zealand and Ireland firms.

In his role at Pāmu, Alistair is responsible for providing and managing the Company’s legal needs and for providing the corporate governance and company secretarial functions to the Company.

Bernadette Kelly was appointed to this role in June 2020. Bernadette has held HR leaderships roles across many industries including of GM People and Capability at MercyAscot hospitals and Mercy Radiology; senior HR roles at Air New Zealand in New Zealand and Australia including responsibility for flight operations and safety, engineering and Pilots; and Head of People – Business Banking & Head of Employment Relations and Safety at Westpac.

Bernadette has also has extensive HR experience at DHBs around the country. In her role at Pāmu, Bernadette’s responsibilities include leading the teams of Human Resources, Organisational Development, Health, Safety and Wellbeing, and Corporate Communications. She believes in Pāmu’s vision to show leadership and innovation in its pasture-to-plate value add strategy – a vision she thinks is critical for the country.

Annabel Davies joined Pāmu in October 2022 as Chief Sustainability and Risk Officer.

Annabel has a Bachelor of Resource Studies (BRS) from Lincoln University, she later trained as a management system auditor, and attained a post-graduate Certificate in Risk Management and Human Potential for a Digital Economy. Annabel has over thirty years of experience working across a range of sectors including local government, infrastructure, energy, and the private sector.

Annabel's most recent roles were at Trustpower where she led transformational projects, risk, stakeholder relations, climate change strategy, and drove the company’s Environmental, Social, Governance (“ESG”) improvement initiatives at a senior level.

Prior to joining Trustpower in 2013, Annabel ran her own successful consultancy practice, offering environmental and audit services for a range of clients, including those in infrastructure and water projects. She was also involved in the start-up of the global environmental company ERM in NZ where she developed and led the sustainability and assurance practice. She also spent some years working for Watercare Services Ltd on large consenting projects.

Tammy Lemire joins Pāmu as our first Chief Technology and Digital Officer with more than 20 years of experience in senior digital, technology and improvement-based roles across a wide range of industries in New Zealand and her native Canada.

Her prior experience spans holding positions as NZ Post's General Manager, Customer Solutions as well as managing IT and systems functions for Northpower, the Far North District Council, CityFitness Group, Ricoh Canada, Sun-Rype Products and GoodLife Fitness Clubs.

Tammy graduated from Fanshawe College, London, Ontario in computer programming and analysis, and has completed professional development courses in energy economics, management accounting and finance, business analysis and project management at several New Zealand and Canadian tertiary education providers. She has also been a former independent director of Entelechy Group, comprising Northland-based tertiary education provider Developers Institute and software development firm Parasol.