Turners & Growers (T&G) managing director Jeff Wesley has announced his retirement today, a change that could herald the end of an era for the company’s management.
Wesley has served as T&G’s managing director since May 2005, and along with now-retired chairman Tony Gibbs has been the face of the company’s campaign to deregulate the kiwifruit industry.
Speaking to Asiafruit exclusively today following the announcement, Wesley said the timing of his retirement and the pending takeover of T&G by German company BayWa was entirely coincidental.
“I’m 65 in October, and a man can’t work his entire life. So I think it’s time to retire. It suits me quite nicely, and I think it suits BayWa nicely,” he said.
Wesley will continue to work with the T&G board to transition to a successor, the company announced in a statement this afternoon.
The recruitment process for a replacement will begin following approval of the BayWa takeover bid by New Zealand’s Overseas Investment Office (OIO), which is expected late this week or early next, according to Wesley.
“Once that happens, then BayWa can go out to recruit someone,” he detailed. “There’s a potential lead time of three months at the earliest and nine months at the longest, I’d guess.”
Sources close to the company have told Asiafruit a front-runner from within the Australasian fresh produce business has already been identified to replace Wesley.
Today’s announcement of Wesley’s departure has been quietly expected by many in the industry in recent months.
Wesley’s campaign against single-desk kiwifruit marketer Zespri has made him a controversial figure in the New Zealand horticulture industry, and it’s a controversy numerous industry figures feel BayWa may not wish to be associated with.
BayWa has previously announced its intention to replace current T&G chairman Rob Campbell with its own CEO Dr Klaus Josef Lutz, as well as placing several of its staff on the company’s board.
