Henchy takes over top role at Dairygold
Jerry Henchy, who was previously with the Kerry Group, succeeds Denis Lucey, who retired from the post at the weekend. Mr Lucey is expected to stay on for some time in an advisory capacity.
The change takes place at a crucial time in the Irish dairy industry as it prepares to cope with growing challenges. Reform of the EU Common Agricultural Policy and decisions at the world trade talks will have a major impact on the multi-billion euro industry.
Also due out shortly is a study of the sector’s structure, efficiency and long-term competitiveness, commissioned by the Government in association with the industry and Enterprise Ireland.
It is expected to call for radical changes, including a major rationalisation of processing and increased investment in research and development.
The need to develop new value-added products in areas such as functional and prepared foods to meet the demands of modern-day consumers will also be highlighted.
Ireland’s dairy industry has almost 28,000 milk producers and about 36 co-operatives, including 23 milk
processors with 27 processing sites, 15 butter plants, 13 powder plants, 10 cheese factories and 7 casein plants.
Dairygold Co-op, as one of the country’s largest multi-purpose agri-businesses, will be central to how the industry develops structurally in the future.
With more than 8,000 active shareholders, it employs more than 3,000 people in Ireland and overseas and has an annual turnover of almost €1 billion.
Henchy, aged 37, was previously responsible for Kerry Group’s manufacturing base and market development in South America. Prior to that he had similar responsibilities with Kerry de Mexico.
During the early 1990s, while based in Wisconsin, USA, he was responsible for a variety of sales and business unit management roles. Mr Henchy, who comes from a prominent dairy farming family in Ballincollig, Co Cork, attended
Presentation Brothers College in Cork. He graduated with an honours degree in dairy science from UCC in 1989. He is married to Grace O’Malley from Limerick and has two sons.
