Westland appoints new Chief Financial Officer

Westland appoints new Chief Financial Officer

Westland welcomes a new Chief Financial Officer with some 20 years’ experience of international business finance on 21 August.

Toni Brendish, Chief Executive of Westland Milk Products, New Zealand’s second largest dairy co-operative, has appointed British-born Dorian Devers to the CFO role at Westland.

“I’m very excited about the potential for Westland with an appointment of someone of Dorian’s calibre,” Brendish said. “He has worked in the finance field for the Linde Group (formerly the BOC Group) since 1997. He comes to us from his current role of Financial Director – Africa, UK and Ireland / Group CFO for Afrox within the Linde Group. That role involved leading all aspects of finance for this huge region covering more than 20 countries, more than 400,000 customers and revenue of €1.5 billion. Dorian also comes with New Zealand experience; he was Head of Finance for BOC New Zealand in 2003/04.”

Devers’ success at Afrox includes his contribution to delivering some €30million in cost savings and more than a 50 percent increase in share price in his first year.

Brendish, who commenced as Westland’s Chief Executive in September 2016, has worked to improve Westland’s efficiency and cut costs, improve the co-operative’s financial reporting, and strengthen its core nutritionals market; alongside a strong focus on mutually beneficial partnerships with key commercial customers in priority markets such as China. This has included strengthening the depth and experience of her management team. Devers is the third new senior manager she has appointed, joining a new General Manager China (Gary Yu) and a new Chief Operations Officer (Craig Betty) on the senior management team.

“Westland’s drive to improve its financial performance, and seek constructive mutually beneficial financial, technical and innovative relationships with key customers will be well supported by Dorian’s experience,” Brendish said. “He has a proven record for leading transformational change across large and complex organisations to deliver sustainable benefits. He enjoys creating high performing finance teams focused on business partnering to develop operational and commercial solutions.”

Dorian is married to Stephanie, a New Zealander, and they have three daughters Charlotte, Isla and Matilda. He will be based at Westland’s Rolleston office.

ENDS

© Scoop Media