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- Release Date: 22/10/13 16:03
- Summary: DIRECTOR: PGW: PGG Wrightson Board Changes
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PGW
22/10/2013 14:03
DIRECTOR
REL: 1403 HRS PGG Wrightson Limited
DIRECTOR: PGW: PGG Wrightson Board Changes
The Board of PGG Wrightson has announced today that Alan Lai will become
Chairman of the company post the retirement of Sir John Anderson following
today's Annual Shareholders' Meeting.
Alan Lai was appointed as a director of the company on 30 December 2009. He
is the founder and Executive Chairman of Agria Corporation which is
ultimately the largest investor in PGG Wrightson.
Mr Lai has extensive experience in investments, acquisitions and operations
management. He has established many enterprises in China, Hong Kong and
internationally and is also the Vice Chairman of the Shenzhen General Chamber
of Commerce in China.
Mr Lai noted that he was honoured to have been appointed Chairman of PGG
Wrightson and wished to thank Sir John Anderson for the important role he has
played for the company. Sir John was appointed Chairman at about the same
time as Agria first invested in PGG Wrightson. He said that the governance
and leadership shown by Sir John had been of great value to the company and
it had been a privilege to have had someone of Sir John's stature leading the
Board.
'Solid progress had been made to the foundations of this business over recent
years and the challenge now was to use this strength to improve the
performance of the business. I believe that we can achieve that and I look
forward to working with the Board and with Chief Executive, Mark Dewdney and
his team to help bring this about.'
PGG Wrightson also announced the intention of the Board to appoint John
Nichol as a director and member of the Audit committee, replacing the
vacancies left by Sir John's retirement. A chartered accountant, Mr Nichol
has had an extensive career in New Zealand and has held a number of
governance and executive management roles within the agricultural sector in
particular. Among his many governance roles he was a director of the New
Zealand Dairy Board prior to the formation of Fonterra, was Chairman of the
New Zealand Merino Company until 2011 and has chaired the Audit Committee for
a number of boards on which he has served.
Mr Nichol is the Managing Director of Optica Life Accessories Ltd, a
specialist designer and distributor of eyewear accessories, a role he has
held since 2002.
The Board has determined that John Nichol qualifies as an Independent
Director and with his accounting and Audit committee experience would be a
welcome addition to the PGG Wrightson Audit Committee.
A brief biography of Mr Nichol is provided below:
Biography - John Nichol
Mr Nichol has been Managing Director of Optica Life Accessories Ltd for the
past 11 years. Prior to that he held a number of executive roles within the
banking and finance sector and for 10 years was Managing Director of
investment company, Broadway Industries Ltd.
He has been director of a number of businesses within the primary sector
including Fortex Group Ltd, New Zealand Salmon Company Ltd, Alpine Dairy
Products Ltd, Craigpine Timber Limited, New Zealand Dairy Board and New
Zealand Merino Company Ltd. He has also been a director of a number of
significant other New Zealand businesses including New Zealand Post Ltd and
State Insurance Ltd.
For additional information contact:
Mark Dewdney
CEO, PGG Wrightson Limited
Tel: +64 27 248 3151
End CA:00242710 For:PGW Type:DIRECTOR Time:2013-10-22 14:03:16
