February 7, 2024
The Board of Ornua Co-operative is pleased to announce the appointment of Conor Galvin as Chief Executive of Ornua.
Conor, who is currently Chief Executive of Dairygold Co-operative Society, will take up his new role in May.
Conor joined Dairygold in 2014 and has held a number of roles in its Senior Leadership Team before becoming Chief Executive in January 2022. Prior to joining Dairygold, he was Finance Director with DCC’s Food & Beverage division, and he was also Country Finance Manager with Procter & Gamble in Ireland.
Originally from a farming background in Co. Westmeath, Conor is a science graduate from University College Dublin, and holds an MBA from the Smurfit Business School. He is also a qualified accountant.
Aidan O’Driscoll Ornua Co-operative Chair said: “I am delighted that Conor Galvin will be the new Chief Executive of Ornua and will lead the Group as it continues to deliver value for its Member Co-Operatives and the 14,000 dairy farming families that supply them. His appointment follows a comprehensive selection process led by a Board subcommittee. Conor has a deep knowledge of the dairy sector and has extensive senior executive experience. He is deeply committed to the co-operative nature of the dairy business and has a strong focus on working in close partnership with key stakeholders. My fellow Board Directors and I look forward to working with Conor as Ornua continues its journey of delivering long-term sustainable growth.
I would like to thank Donal Buggy, who has been Ornua’s Interim Chief Executive since last September. Donal’s tireless commitment to the business has been vital during this transition period, and he will remain in his current role of Interim Chief Executive until May, and thereafter continue in his role of Group Chief Financial Officer.”
Ornua Chief Executive Designate Conor Galvin said: “I am honoured and excited to be given the opportunity to lead Ornua into the future. For decades, Ornua has delivered significant value for Irish dairy families through the strong connection that it creates between farmers and consumers. I will encourage collaboration at all levels within the industry to positively address the challenges that face the sector in the years ahead. Ornua has demonstrated a long-term vision of growth and investment, and I look forward to leading the next phase of that development.”
“While I look forward to the future, I am also deeply grateful to Dairygold for the opportunity to lead such a respected organisation.”
ENDS
About Ornua
Ornua is an Irish dairy co-operative that markets and sells dairy products on behalf of its Members, Ireland’s dairy processors and, in turn, Irish dairy farmers. Ornua is Ireland’s largest exporter of Irish dairy products and has annualised sales of over €3.4 billion. Headquartered in Dublin, Ornua has a strong global team of 3,000 employees, operating from 10 business units worldwide, including 16 production facilities. Ornua’s core purpose is to build profitable routes to market for Irish dairy products.
The Group is structured across two divisions: Ornua Foods and Ornua Ingredients. Ornua Foods is responsible for the marketing and sales of Ornua’s consumer brands including Ireland’s most successful food export: Kerrygold, as well as Kerrygold Dubliner, Pilgrims Choice, Forto and BEO milk powders. Markets are served by production facilities in Ireland, Germany, and the UK and by in-market Sales & Marketing Teams in Asia, Germany, Ireland, MEA, Poland, Spain, rest of Europe and North and Latin America.
Ornua Ingredients is responsible for the procurement of Irish and non-Irish dairy products, for the sale of dairy ingredients to food manufacturing and foodservice customers across the world, and for managing volatility through de-risking and trading strategies. The business is supported by production facilities in the UK, Spain, the US, Saudi Arabia, and by in-market teams in Africa and the Middle East.