Fonterra names Spierings as CEO

Friesland Campina’s Theo Spierings has been appointed as the new CEO of NZ dairy giant Fonterra. Spierings led the Dutch co-operative Friesland Foods into a merger with Campina in 2008. He will be taking over from Fonterra’s departing CEO Andrew Ferrier as of 26. September. Ferrier, originally from Canada, had announced his intention to leave back in March.

Spierings is married with three children and currently lives in The Netherlands. He has operated his own consultancy since leaving Friesland in 2009, and has managed dairy businesses in Asia, Latin America, Africa, the Middle East and Europe.

When he was acting chief executive of Royal Friesland Foods, Spierings presided over all aspects of its merger with Campina. He left the company shortly after completing the merger as both parties had already agreed on an independent chief executive.