New appointments in dairy for August

August was a busy month for new appointments in the dairy industry.

Here is a brief summary of some of the changes.  We welcome your contributions to this monthly round up; please send your submissions to us here, and please attach a photo if one is available.

Clondalkin Flexible Packaging Bury appoints sales and marketing director

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Clondalkin Flexible Packaging Bury (formerly Chadwicks) has appointed Alastair Bearman as its sales and marketing director following the retirement of Martin Hardman.

Bearman has 25 years of experience with Americk Primopost and Pulse Flexible Packaging, and will be responsible for driving Clondalkin Bury's expansion into its core pre-cut lids and shrink sleeve markets.

He will also assist with new product development in related markets where the company's high definition UV flexo print process can add value to premium brands.

Westland appoints CFO

New Zealand dairy company Westland has a new chief financial officer.

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Dorian Devers, who has 20 years of experience in international business finance, stepped in to the role August 21.

Devers worked in the finance field for the Linde Group (formerly the BOC Group) since 1997. He was financial director – Africa, UK and Ireland / Group CFO for Afrox within the Linde Group.

He was head of finance for BOC New Zealand in 2003/04.

G. Willi-Food changes in management

G. Willi-Food International Ltd., an Israeli-based company that specializes in the development, marketing and international distribution of kosher foods, reported that the company's board of directors has appointed Zwi Williger, a director of the company, as co-chairman of the board, along with Yoseph Williger.

Prior to the appointment, Yoseph Williger was the sole chairman of the board.

Willi-Food is engaged directly and through its subsidiaries in the design, import, marketing and distribution of more than 600 food products worldwide. Willi-Food markets and sells its food products to more than 1,500 customers in Israel and around the world including large retail and private supermarket chains, wholesalers and institutional consumers.

The company's operating divisions includes Gold Frost, a wholly owned subsidiary that designs, develops and distributes branded kosher, dairy-food products.

Dean Foods looking for CFO

In the US, Dean Foods Company announced Chris Bellairs, executive vice president and chief financial officer, will leave the company on September 1.

Bellairs will assist in transitioning to Scott Vopni, senior vice president and chief accounting officer, who will assume the responsibilities while the company conducts its search for a new CFO.

Vopni joined Dean Foods in May 2008 and has served multiple senior roles in the company's finance organization.

He currently heads up the accounting team and oversees the finance function for both the supply chain and commercial organizations.

IDFA names senior VP of regulatory affairs

In the US, the IDFA named Cary Frye to the position of senior vice president of regulatory affairs, where she will be responsible for managing the association's regulatory team covering the areas of food safety, food defense, federal standards of identity, labeling, international Codex Alimentarius standards, nutrition policy, environmental and worker safety.

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Frye has served IDFA member companies for nearly 20 years, representing member companies on food labeling and standards of identity, ingredient technologies, nutrition and health issues, and product safety.

Frye also chairs the US affiliate to IDF and is a member of the IDF Standing Committee on Standards of Identity and Labeling. She has been active in international standard-setting, advising US delegations on Codex standards and has served as the head delegate for IDF at the Codex Committee on Food Labeling.

ADPI adds five consultants

The American Dairy Products Institute (ADPI) has welcomed five additional industry professionals to the ADPI Center of Excellence, a network of dairy industry professionals.

The new additions are:

Eric Bastian, who led the cheese R&D team at Glanbia Foods in 2013 before his promotion to senior VP of innovation at when the company restructured and was renamed Glanbia Nutritionals. His work with Glanbia focused on whey protein, cheese, specialty grains, aseptic beverages and flavors.

Michael Culhane, Ph.D., who over the course of 15 years at Glanbia held management positions including general manager, executive vice president and president at the company's North American ingredient division helping during this time to advance business through several stages of growth for commodity and specialty dairy ingredients.

Raymond Dyke gained experience in cheese manufacturing, cultured products, and quality control during his career at Cabot Cooperative Creamery, Associated Milk Producers, Cabot Cooperative and Agri-Mark Inc. Dyke retired from Agri-Mark in 2015 and has done consulting with Agri-Mark after his retirement. 

Phil Plourd is president of Blimling and Associates, Inc. and president of the services division of Dairy.com. He has been involved in dairy market analysis, research, forecasting and risk management activities for 20 years.

Dr Purnendu Vasavada, who specializes in food microbiology, training on food microbiology HACCP and FSPCA Preventive Controls for Human Food (PCHF). Vasavada is a professor Emeritus of food science, University of Wisconsin-River Falls and principal of PCV & Associates, LLC.

Firmenich appoints head of sustainability

Swiss flavor company Firmenich has appointed Dr Bérangère Magarinos-Ruchat as global head of sustainability.

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In this new capacity, she will reinforce Firmenich's leadership in sustainability.

Magarinos-Ruchat has held the position of VP sustainability partnerships at the company since 2010.

At this year’s World Water Week in Stockholm, Magarinos-Ruchat was elected vice chairman of the Toilet Board Coalition to address today’s global sanitation crisis through sustainable business solutions.

Magarinos-Ruchat was recognized by the WBCSD’s Leading Women Awards for her leadership in advancing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs).