Andy Drysdale

For Andy Drysdale, joining Pāmu was the beginning of something special. Having worked alongside Pāmu in a previous role, Andy was inspired by the passionate mahi being undertaken and the drive for operational excellence while balancing environmental obligations. That inspiration led him to make the move, and he describes beginning his career with Pāmu as his best moment so far. 

Now as Business Manager for Northland, Andy focuses on inspiring teams to strive for excellence while working with a great bunch of stakeholders across the region's beautiful farms. 

For Andy, te ao Māori means being kaitiaki of the land and people. This dual responsibility, caring for both the whenua and the teams who work it, shapes his approach to leadership and guides his decisions across Northland's operations. 

Three things stand out for Andy in his role: 

• The team. Working with dedicated people committed to excellence.
• Achieving goals. The satisfaction of meeting objectives and driving performance.
• Northland's farms. Getting to spend time on the region's beautiful properties. 

These elements combine to create a role that's both challenging and deeply rewarding. 

For Andy, farming excellence is straightforward but demanding. 

It's about consistency, continuous improvement, and maintaining high standards regardless of conditions or circumstances. Excellence isn't a destination but a daily commitment to performance. 

Of Pāmu values, Andy relates most strongly to Shoulder-to-Shoulder. He works with a wide range of various teams who all collaborate to achieve the same objectives and goals. This collaborative approach is essential in his role, bringing together different perspectives and expertise to deliver results across multiple farms and operations. 

Andy is impressed by how well Pāmu recognises all the hard mahi teams put in and celebrates excellence. This culture of acknowledgement reinforces the commitment to high performance and helps maintain team motivation across the region. 

In five years, Andy sees himself leading a high-performing and engaged team within Pāmu. It's a vision that builds on his current focus on inspiring excellence while deepening the capability and engagement of the people around him. 

Andy Drysdale's story is about recognising quality and choosing to be part of it. From observing operations of Pāmu from the outside to now leading teams across Northland's farms, Andy brings a clear focus on operational excellence balanced with environmental responsibility. His role as kaitiaki, caring for both land and people, reflects a leadership approach that values collaboration, celebrates achievement, and maintains an unwavering commitment to striving for the best, day in and day out.