Our Directors

Chairman, Independent Director, appointed 2014
BCA, MBA, FCA, INFINZ (fellow), FNZIM,
ANZIIF (fellow), AFInstD

Committees:

• Member, Audit Committee
• Member, Health and Safety Committee
• Member, Remuneration and Appointments Committee
• Member, Directors Remuneration Committee

John  has  extensive  Board  experience  including  directorships  with Zespri  Group  Limited,  AgResearch  Limited,  Port  of  Napier  Limited, Meat Industry Association of New Zealand Inc, Hop Revolution Limited, and  Toll  NZ  Limited.  John  is  currently  chairman  of  Powerco  Limited, Rockit Global Limited, and Coda GP Limited.  John is the co-founder and owner of Askerne Winery. 

Elected 2019, BBS (VPM), MInstD

Committees:

• Chair, Leadership Committee
• Member, Remuneration and Appointments Committee
• Member, Health and Safety Committee

Dylan is a Registered Valuer specialising in commercial, industrial and horticultural property.  He owns and operates kiwifruit orchards in the Te Puke region and is a Board representative on EastPack Entity Trust. 

Dylan holds a Bachelor of Business Studies majoring in Property Valuation & Management, completed the Kellogg’s Rural Leadership Programme and has completed a wide range of governance training courses through the Institute of Directors.

Elected 2023, BMS(Hons)

Committees:

• Member, Audit Committee
• Member, Health and Safety Committee

Paul manages and develops Gold, Green and Red kiwifruit orchards in Pukehina.  He is heavily involved in the industry and has been the past chairman of the EastPack Entity Trust Forum, and a rep on the NZKGI Forum. He holds a Bachelor of Management studies with First Class Honours, and has completed the Mayfield Co-operative Governance Programme.  

Independent Director, appointed 2014, B Ag Econ

Committees:

• Chair, Remuneration and Appointments Committee
• Member, Health and Safety Committee
• Member, Leadership Committee

Mark has broad leadership and governance experience across large multinationals to home-grown New Zealand companies and the not-for-profit sector.  Mark is currently Independent Director and Chairman at ITM Co-operative Limited, and Techspace Consulting Limited. Mark holds a Bachelor of Agricultural Economics from Massey University.

Elected 2022, B Av

Committees:

• Chair, Health and Safety Committee
• Member, Audit Committee

Braden has been growing kiwifruit in Te Puke since 2005, and has experience in operations management, product and orchard development.  Braden is a Board representative on EastPack Entity Trust, and has previously held an executive role in EastPack overseeing Grower Services and Prospa Orchard Management divisions.

Elected 2018, B.Agr. Dip Agri.Sc

Committees:

• Member, Remuneration and Appointments Committee
• Member, Health and Safety Committee

David is an experienced Director of several Co-operative and private companies. He is a past director of Satara and has been the past Chairman of the EastPack Entity Trust.  David has also been a Director of Livestock Improvement, Farmlands and Figured. He is currently Chair of numerous MyFarm Limited Partnership Orchards in the BOP.  He and his family own and operate orchards in the Tauranga region.

Elected 2009, IOD Directors Certificate, IOD Audit and Risk Certificate

Committees:

• Member, Health and Safety Committee
• Member, Leadership Committee

Murray has extensive management and governance experience from his active and continuing involvement in all facets of the Kiwifruit industry since the 1980's. Murray is exceptionally passionate about maximising outcomes for stakeholders and believes that the best route to success is through focus on business vision and strategy.  He managed the McBride family post-harvest facility and purchased his first orchard in 1990. Since then, Murray has been heavily involved in developing gold orchard plantings and is renowned in the industry as a leader in this field. 

Elected 2023, MA(Hons), PGDipBA

Committees:

• Member, Health and Safety Committee
• Member, Leadership Committee

Elly has a great understanding of Supply chain and regulatory affairs and previously held positions as Market Access Manager at Zespri, and Regional Supply Chain Manager at Fonterra Brazil.  Her family has been growing kiwifruit in Opotiki for over 30 years and she is engaged in the wider kiwifruit industry including involvement in working groups.   Elly has a Master of Arts with First Class Honours and a Post-graduate Diploma in Business Administration from The University of Auckland.   

Independent Director, appointed 2022, FCA, FCPA, MInstD

Committees:

• Chair, Audit Committee
• Member, Health and Safety Committee

Mark comes with significant corporate experience having held senior executive roles, most recently at the Warehouse Group, and prior to that at New Zealand Post (including acting as a Director of Kiwibank), and Airways Corporation.

A one year Board Observer Role has been introduced by the EastPack Board.  This governance position is mentored and developed for leaders of the future, for EastPack Entity Trust (EET), EastPack, Zespri and the Kiwifruit industry as a whole. 

Rikki James has been appointed to the Board Observer role in 2023/24.