Animal Health Ireland (AHI) has announced the appointment of two new members to its board, following the approval of the Minister of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Michael Creed.

Roisin Hennerty, managing director of Ornua Global Foods Division and John Malone, former secretary general of the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, were announced as the new appointments yesterday, Wednesday, April 23.

In welcoming the two new appointments, chairman of AHI, Mike Magan, said: “I look forward to working with them as AHI continues to grow and develop.”

“Roisin and John will each bring their own expertise to the role of board member and this experience will be
invaluable as AHI enters a new phase of growth.

Retiring members

Magan also praised the two retiring AHI members Joe Collins and Robin Talbot. He said: “Joe and Robin have been on the board of AHI since it was launched in 2009 and over that 10-year period, their contribution, enthusiasm and dedication to their roles as board members has benefited the organisation enormously.

“I would like to thank them both sincerely for their involvement”.

Roisin Hennerty

Roisin Hennerty is managing director of Ornua Global Foods Division, overseeing a portfolio of brands sold in over 100 countries.

Having originally joined Ornua Cooperative in Dublin, Hennerty later moved to the US and was responsible for the strategic marketing and launch of Kerrygold Butter and Dubliner Cheese in the that country.

Hennerty has represented the Ornua Group on the board of the American Butter Institute; the Board of Les Dames Escoffier International; and the Cheese Importers Association of America.

She earned her primary degree at UCD and holds a Higher Diploma in International Trade from the Dublin Institute of Technology.

She is a graduate of the Executive Scholars Programme at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management in Illinois.

She has also completed the Board Director Development Programme at the Kellogg School of Management.

John Malone

A former secretary general of the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine from 1997 to 2004, John Malone is a native of Portroe, Co. Tipperary, and comes from a farming background.

In that role he was involved in policy formulation for the agri-food sector and negotiations at EU and world trade level.

He was centrally involved in the establishment of ICBF and served as its first chairman.

Since then he has held a number of directorships and currently is the chairman of the Irish Equine Centre.

He holds a degree in Politics and Economics from UCD.

According to AHI, these two appointments represent the first of a number of new board appointees in the next two years, as current board members reach the end of their period of office.