New Ornua chief executive appointed

Conor Galvin

Dairygold chief executive Conor Galvin is set to take up the helm at Ornua, Ireland’s largest dairy exporter.

Mr Galvin is set to take up his new role as Ornua chief executive in May for the firm, which is responsible for €3.4bn of dairy sales annually.

Interim chief executive Donal Buggy will resume his role of group chief financial officer once the transition has completed.

Mr Galvin joined Dairygold in 2014 and has held a number of roles in its senior leadership team before becoming chief executive in January 2022. Prior to joining Dairygold, he was finance director with Dairygold Co-operative’s Food & Beverage division, and he was also country finance manager with Procter & Gamble in Ireland.

Originally from a farming background in Co Westmeath, Mr Galvin is a science graduate from University College Dublin, and holds an MBA from the Smurfit Business School. He is also a qualified accountant.

Ornua Co-operative chairman Aidan O’Driscoll said: “I am delighted that Conor Galvin will be the new chief executive of Ornua and will lead the Group as it continues to deliver value for its member Co-Operatives and the 14,000 dairy farming families that supply them.

"Conor has a deep knowledge of the dairy sector and has extensive senior executive experience. He is deeply committed to the cooperative nature of the dairy business and has a strong focus on working in close partnership with key stakeholders."

Commenting on the move, Mr Galvin said: “I am honoured and excited to be given the opportunity to lead Ornua into the future. For decades, Ornua has delivered significant value for Irish dairy families through the strong connection that it creates between farmers and consumers. 

"I will encourage collaboration at all levels within the industry to positively address the challenges that face the sector in the years ahead. Ornua has demonstrated a long-term vision of growth and investment, and I look forward to leading the next phase of that development."

The business, which is behind the Kerrygold, Dubliner, and Pilgrims Choice brands, has production facilities in the UK, Spain, the US, Saudi Arabia, and by in-market teams in Africa and the Middle East and employs 3,000 people globally.