Dairygold and Glanbia executives take senior co-op society roles

Senior executives of Dairygold and Glanbia have been elected to the roles of president and vice-president of the Irish Co-operative Organisation Society (ICOS).

Dairygold Co-op chairman Bertie O’Leary has been elected president of ICOS, while Glanbia Co-op vice-chairman Martin Keane has been elected vice-president.

Mr O’Leary is from Ballyvourney, Co Cork. A dairy farmer who has served on the Dairygold board since 2005, he has served as a Dairygold representative for over 20 years. He was appointed chairman of Dairygold in Jan 2012.

Mr O’Leary was most recently vice-president of ICOS and chairman of the ICOS dairy committee. He is also chairman of the Irish Milk Quality Co-op Society. He is a Dairygold nominee director on the board of Reox Holdings plc and served as vice-chairman of Dairygold in 2009 and 2010.

Martin Keane is vice-chairman of both Glanbia Co-op and Glanbia plc. He farms at Errill, Portlaoise, Co Laois, and has completed the ICOS Co-operative Leadership Programme. He was appointed to the board of Glanbia plc in 2006 and has served six full years on the board to date.

Mr Keane is a member of the audit committee and remuneration committee of Glanbia plc. He is a former director of Co-operative Animal Health Ltd. He is also a director of ICS Europaks and is the chairman of Donaghmore Famine Workhouse Museum Co-op Society.

ICOS represents co-operatives and organisations in Ireland — including the Irish dairy processing co-operatives and livestock marts — whose associated businesses have a combined turnover in the region of €12bn, with about 150,000 individual members, employing 12,000 people in Ireland and a further 24,000 people overseas.

Irish agricultural exports contribute over €9bn to the Irish economy each year and the sector accounts for 8% of national employment.