Chief Dairy and Nutrition Officer

The Client

Carbery Group, established over 50 years ago in West Cork, Ireland, is a leading global producer of food and ingredients. Originally a co-op formed by local farmers, Carbery now exports to over 50 markets and employs nearly 1,000 people across eight countries. With a focus on innovation and sustainability, Carbery has expanded from cheese production to include advanced whey proteins, dairy, and flavorings. The company operates 12 manufacturing facilities worldwide and has achieved significant growth, including a €78m expansion in 2020 and a US acquisition in 2021. Carbery is committed to developing cutting-edge solutions, including pioneering climate-neutral dairy farms, to ensure continued success and value for its stakeholders.

The Challenge

Following a significant restructuring, Carbery was seeking an internationally experienced executive to take on a newly created role of Chief Dairy & Nutrition Officer to join Carbery’s Leadership team, reporting to the CEO. Carbery was seeking global expertise to contribute to shaping and driving the next phase of Carbery’s growth, as they looked to build on 50 years of evolution and innovate in new product and ingredient areas. The Chief Dairy & Nutrition Officer would have responsibility for all aspects of the Dairy & Nutrition divisions’ operational and financial performance across a full spectrum of functions, including R&D, Commercial, Finance, People, Operations, Health & Safety, Quality, and Sustainability.

The Solution

We conducted an extensive global search for an individual who was working within one of the top ten global dairy, food, and nutrition businesses worldwide. Our search strategy leaned heavily into the Irish diaspora talent pool abroad, covering the US, Europe, and Asia-Pacific. Switzerland has a strong hub of relevant talent within the dairy, nutrition and ingredients sector, and after identifying a global Irish Executive, we were able to engage and excite them around the opportunity and ultimately relocate back to Ireland to join the leadership team. The candidate previously held a significant position as President of a global business’s Health & Wellness Platform and has promptly brought expertise in driving Carbery’s dairy and nutritional business strategy as well as sitting on the Global Executive Leadership team.