Fonterra Better Positioned To Capture Innovation

Fonterra Better Positioned To Capture Innovation

The new research and technical operations manager of Fonterra's Marketing & Innovation division believes changes to Fonterra's research arm will add another dimension to the scientific and technical support provided across the Group.

Dr Jeremy Hill is responsible for ensuring that all Fonterra's business groups receive the scientific and technical support needed to perform at optimum.

"I am delighted to get this opportunity because I think there's considerable scope for improvement under the new company structure," Dr Hill says.

Fonterra underwent a restructure late last year, moving research, sales and marketing functions into a new Marketing & Innovation Group to align that division much closer in alignment to the company's core manufacturing business functions and its customers.

"We have gone from having entities that work in an autonomous or semi-autonomous manner to a situation where we can optimise the research and technical support we provide across the whole group, not just from the Marketing & Innovation site, but the technical centres of excellence and the offshore regional technical centres," Dr Hill says.

Formerly Fonterra Research Centre's General Manager Resources and Deputy CEO, Dr Hill first became involved in the New Zealand dairy industry in 1987, when he undertook contract research for the Dairy Board. He joined the Dairy Research Institute in 1991 and except for two years at Livestock Improvement in Hamilton has remained at the DRI, which became the Fonterra Research Centre in 2001 with the formation of Fonterra.

The Marketing & Innovation Group is directed by Bob Major and based in Palmerston North. It is charged with driving Fonterra's added value business and taking responsibility for innovation within the group.

"The bottom line is we have some fantastic facilities here and some people among the best in the world in their respective field," Dr Hill says.

"As a dairy dedicated research and development entity this would be one of the best in the world. I am looking forward to the Fonterra Co-operative Group optimising its value from this facility to other parts of the business."

Dr Hill is also responsible for the group's food assurance. He sits on the Council of the International Dairy Federation, representing 40 dairy producing countries.

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