Carbery Group has announced the appointment of Jason Hawkins as the new chief executive and a director of the company.

Hawkins will take the reins from Dan MacSweeney when he retires after 25 years as CEO at the end of December 2017.

Originally from Tralee, Co. Kerry, Hawkins is currently chief operating officer with Dairy Farmers of America (DFA), where he holds responsibility for the organisation’s global ingredients business. DFA is a milk marketing co-operative and dairy food processor with substantial cheese, ingredients and flavours businesses.

Prior to joining DFA, Hawkins had a long and distinguished career with Kerry Group. He joined the Kerry Group Graduate Programme as an accountant in 1999 after graduating with a business degree from the Institute of Technology Tralee.

Carbery

Jason Hawkins, chief executive designate of Carbery Group

The majority of Hawkins’ Kerry career has been spent in the United States in several leadership positions where he was “responsible for the creation of the vision, strategy and overall growth for several of Kerry’s businesses in North America”, according to Carbery Group.

During his career with Kerry, including his most recent position as president of beverages, brands and taste for North America, Hawkins led and navigated the business to “significant growth and profitability”, Carbery says.

Commenting on his new role Hawkins said he was delighted with the opportunity to join Carbery Group.

“I have, for a long time, admired Carbery as an organisation and I am very much looking forward to further developing the successful business which the excellent team that Carbery Group has built,” he said.

Peter Fleming, chairman of Carbery Group, also spoke, noting: “Jason’s background with Kerry’s global ingredients business, combined with his experience at Dairy Farmers of America, make him very well suited to build on the strong foundations that are in place at Carbery.

I am confident that under his leadership the business will continue to grow and develop in the years ahead, delivering for the milk suppliers of west Cork.

Jason Hawkins is married to Mary and they have three boys, Ronan, Cathal and Killian. He and his family are currently living in Kansas City; however, they will relocate to west Cork in the new year when he is due to take up the position, the group has confirmed.