Dairygold Chief Executive, Conor Galvin to take up new role as Ornua Chief Executive

7th February 2024

The Board of Dairygold Co-Operative Society Limited, confirms that its Chief Executive, Conor Galvin is leaving the Society to take up the role of Chief Executive of Ornua.

Dairygold will now begin the process to recruit and appoint a new Chief Executive. In the interim Mr Michael Harte, the Society’s Chief Financial Officer (CFO), has been appointed Interim Chief Executive, with immediate effect, to lead the organisation during the transition period. Michael has been CFO at Dairygold since 2006 and he also took on the role of Interim Chief Executive in the Society in 2009 during a previous Chief Executive transition. Conor will take up his new role in the coming months and in the meantime, he will work with the Board and Michael to ensure a smooth and efficient transition.

Dairygold Chairperson Sean O’Brien paid tribute to Conor and Michael saying;

“On behalf of the Dairygold Board, our General and Regional Committees, our Shareholders and Staff, I thank Conor for his commitment and leadership since his appointment as Dairygold Chief Executive and the work he has done, including strengthening the ‘value add’ and ‘sustainability’ credentials of the business. We wish Conor every success in his new role in what will be an important and challenging one for Ornua and its dairy processing members including Dairygold. Continued strong leadership is needed as dairy farmers and the industry face the challenges of consumer lifestyle changes, EU regulation and sustainability.”

“The Board and I are very pleased that we are in a position to appoint someone of the calibre of Michael as Interim Chief Executive. Michael has been a key member of the Senior Leadership Team responsible for driving Dairygold’s strategic direction. He has managed the strong financial performance of the business, through a period of unprecedented transformation and growth, while protecting the financial integrity of the Society. We are very confident that he will ensure a smooth and effective transition in leadership.”

Commenting on his career move, Conor Galvin said;

“While I look forward to the future, I am also deeply grateful to Dairygold for the opportunity to lead such a well-respected organisation. It has been a huge honour for me to serve as Chief Executive of Dairygold which continues to be a strong, well-invested and globally competitive business. I pay tribute to everyone involved in Dairygold, both farmers and employees, who work together to drive value for the farming families who supply it. I’m very confident that through the continued strength of the business, its Shareholders, Management and Staff that Dairygold will continue to deliver on its strategic growth ambitions, underpinning sustainable farming for its Shareholders.”