Ornua appoints Conor Galvin as CEO

The board of Ornua Co-operative is pleased to announce the appointment of Conor Galvin as Chief Executive of Ornua – the currently Chief Executive of Dairygold Co-operative Society, will take up his new role in May.

Conor joined Dairygold in 2014 and has held a number of roles in its senior leadership team before becoming chief executive in January 2022.  Prior to joining Dairygold, he was finance director with DCCs Food & Beverage division, and he was also country finance manager with Procter & Gamble in Ireland.

Headquartered in Dublin, Ornua is Irelands largest exporter of Irish dairy products and hasannualised sales of over 3.4 billion. The Irish dairy co-operative markets and sells dairy products on behalf of itsmembers, Irelands dairy processors and, in turn, Irish dairy farmers.

EXTENSIVE INDUSTRY EXPERIENCE

Aidan ODriscoll, Ornua Co-operative Chair welcomed the appointment.

I am delighted that Conor Galvin will be the new Chief Executive of Ornua and will lead the group as it continues to deliver value for its member co-operatives and the 14,000 dairy farming families that supply them. His appointment follows a comprehensive selection process led by a board subcommittee.

Conor has a deep knowledge of the dairy sector and has extensive senior executive experience. He is deeply committed to the co-operative nature of the dairy business and has a strong focus on working in close partnership with key stakeholders.  My fellow board directors and I look forward to working with Conor as Ornua continues its journey of delivering long-term sustainable growth.

Concluding, he said: I would like to thank Donal Buggy, who has been Ornuas interim Chief Executive since last September. Donals tireless commitment to the business has been vital during this transition period, and he will remain in his current role of Interim Chief Executive until May, and thereafter continue in his role of Group Chief Financial Officer.

READY FOR NEXT PHASE OF ORNUAS DEVELOPMENT

Originally from a farming background in Co. Westmeath, Conor is a science graduate from UCDn and holds an MBA from the Smurfit Business School. He is also a qualified accountant.

I am honoured and excited to be given the opportunity to lead Ornua into the future, Ornua chief executive designate, Conor Galvin said. For decades, Ornua has delivered significant value for Irish dairy families through the strong connection that it creates between farmers and consumers. I will encourage collaboration at all levels within the industry to positively address the challenges that face the sector in the years ahead. Ornua has demonstrated a long-term vision of growth and investment, and I look forward to leading the next phase of that development.

While I look forward to the future, I am also deeply grateful to Dairygold for the opportunity to lead such a respected organisation, he said.