Neil Craig Becomes Comvita's New Chairman

News Release
For Immediate Release
September 26, 2005

Neil Craig Becomes Comvita's New Chairman

Neil Craig is the new Chairman of the natural health food company Comvita Limited.

Craig, Executive Chairman of ABN Amro Craigs Limited, takes over the role from Bill Bracks on October 1.

Bracks, who came to Comvita in 1991 as a consultant for three days and stayed 15 years, has been Chair since the first board was formally established in 1997. He will continue as a board member. Since 1991, the firm's annual turnover has grown from $1.5 million to $30 million.

Craig became a Comvita director in April 2005, having been an alternate director since 2002. He has been a shareholder since 1997. ABN Amro Craigs managed Comvita's float on the NZAX in November 2003.

Craig holds a number of private company directorships in the kiwifruit industry including Opotiki Packaging & Coolstorage Limited, Punchbowl Coolstores Limited and Kiwifruit International Limited. He has been a director on the New Zealand Stock Exchange, Mighty River Power and TrustBank Bay of Plenty Limited.

The ABN Amro Craig company has grown from an original firm started by Craig at Whakatane in 1984. The firm now has 13 offices nationwide, employing 200 people.

Bracks says Comvita's board chose Craig because, apart from his interest in the firm from the outset, he has widespread investment and commercial skills.

Craig says Bracks has used very strong governance skills and a high level of marketing vision to position Comvita as a strong international marketer, and to put Comvita into the public arena.

"Now it has marketing channels and the structure which make it ready for a new phase of growth. I think this will be through both acquisitions and internal growth," Craig says.

Comvita last month won its second Food Exporter of the Year award, and is pursuing a planned strategy to change from being an 'exporter' to an 'international marketer' of natural health products and health solutions.

ENDS

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