YOUR INDUSTRY
AWARD RECIPIENT LEFT BIG SHOES TO FILL Words by Glenys Christian He trained as a civil engineer then completed his Master of Business Administration (MBA). Since then, he has worked in the electricity industry, in information and in business consulting. When Alasdair joined TomatoesNZ, he had recently retired as a partner of Deloitte NZ, where he had led the HortNZ “10 billion by 2020” horticulture strategy. TomatoesNZ general manager, Helen Barnes, said with his skills in facilitation and business growth, the organisation was lucky to be able to bring him onto its board as its first ever independent chair.
HortNZ president, Barry O'Neil (left) and TomatoesNZ general manager, Helen Barnes, presented Alasdair MacLeod with the Lifetime Achievement Award in August
Alasdair ensured strong, lively and focused debate around the board table which resulted in new initiatives for the tomato industry such as new pest biocontrol work
The first independent chair of TomatoesNZ, Alasdair MacLeod, received a Lifetime Achievement Award at TomatoesNZ’s annual meeting in August. Present chair, Barry O’Neil said he left “big and colourful shoes to fill.”
Alasdair ensured strong, lively and focused debate around the board table which resulted in new initiatives for the tomato industry such as new pest biocontrol work. Alasdair is well known for his positive approach to life and can-do attitude. When asked how he was he would often reply, “I’m fabulous, thank you,” she said.
Chair from 2012 to 2018, Alasdair also served as chair of the Port of Napier Limited and the Hawke’s Bay branch of Export NZ.
Alasdair said getting the opportunity to chair a board was “an absolute revelation.” He joked that the real reason the horticulture industry hadn’t implemented strategy as it was
MULCH BRANCHES
UP TO 90MM IN DIAMETER
34 NZGROWER : OCTOBER 2021
