Barry O’Neil will step in to the role of president of Hort NZ on 1 January 2018. Outgoing president and chairman Julian Raine will depart the role he held for the past six years.
New to the board this year, Bernadine Guilleux has been elected as vice president.
'Barry O’Neil has an impressive background and is well placed to lead the extraordinary growth in horticulture that is not without the challenges of access to land, water and people to enable that growth,' outgoing President Julian Raine says.
'Barry’s knowledge about biosecurity globally will also be an asset to growers.”
O’Neil has been a grower since 1984, working on his kiwifruit and avocado orchard in Whakamarama. Since 2003, he has been growing kiwifruit in Katikati, also in the Bay of Plenty. Between orchards O’Neil has held a number of government roles.
He has been an independent director on the Horticulture New Zealand board since April 2015, but with his appointment as Chair, he will now stand as a grower-elected director at the 2019 director elections.
Guilleux has a strong background in marketing and will use these skills to help tell the ‘New Zealand horticulture story’ to the wider public.
