Dairygold, one of the state’s leading farmer-owned milk processors, has announced two senior appointments at board level in recent days.

Group company secretary

The southern co-operative has appointed Ann Fogarty to the position of group company secretary following the retirement of Eamonn Looney, who held the position for 16 years.

Fogarty will be responsible for ensuring the society meets its statutory and legal obligations under corporate governance best practice.

She will ensure that all board activities are “conducted seamlessly” and that decisions are implemented effectively; while also “maintaining excellent relations” with member shareholders, according to Dairygold.

The incoming secretary will be responsible for providing strategic leadership and direction to a team covering company secretarial executive administration and member relations; as well as legal services, equity management and public relations.

Since joining Dairygold as a business graduate in 1996, Fogarty has progressed through the organisation and demonstrated “strong leadership and capability in a variety of financial roles”, the co-op has said.

Ann Fogarty. Image source: Miki Barlok

Fogarty will take up her new position with effect from May 1; moving on from her role of division financial controller of the dairy division which she has held for the past eight years.

As a chartered certified accountant, Fogarty holds a business degree from University of Limerick and a diploma in Corporate Governance from UCD Smurfit Business School. She also completed the Dairygold High Performance Leadership programme at UCC and the Advanced Leadership Development programme at UCD Smurfit Business School in recent years.

Head of agribusiness appointment

The appointment has also been announced of Liam O’Flaherty as the Dairygold’s new head of Agribusiness. O’Flaherty will assume responsibility for the strategic growth and the development of Dairygold’s Agribusiness division.

O’Flaherty will also be responsible for procurement, production, distribution and retailing of Dairygold’s extensive range of goods and services.

O’Flaherty, who joined the co-op in 2007, takes up the new role from the position of head of Dairygold’s Supply Chain – a position he has held for the past four years.

He holds an honours degree in Agricultural Science from UCD and a masters in Supply Chain Management from UCC.

Liam O’Flaherty. Image source: Miki Barlok

Commenting on the appointment, CEO of Dairygold Jim Woulfe said: “I have no doubt that Liam’s strong commercial and visionary leadership will enable us to further strengthen our agri and retail business, maximising sales and the division’s performance.”