F&P Appliances bring Haier people on board

Two senior Haier executives have been appointed to the Fisher & Paykel Appliances board.

Zhou Yunjie and Tan Lixia will join the F&P Appliances board of directors as the Chinese appliance maker takes up its 20 per cent cornerstone shareholding in the New Zealand appliance maker, worth up to $82 million.

Zhou is a senior vice president and chief marketing officer of the Haier Group.

He has been with Haier since 1996 and has held roles in sales, engineering and IT development.

Ms Tan is chief financial officer and a vice president of the Haier Group. She joined the Haier Group in 1992.

"We are delighted two such senior Haier executives will join the Board," said F&P chairman Gary Paykel in an announcement to the sharemarket this morning.

The appointments underscored Haier's commitment to the strategic relationship and would contribute invaluable knowledge and experience as the two companies developed globally, he said.

Zhou and Ms Tan will be available to meet shareholders at the annual shareholders' meeting in Auckland on August 17.

Meanwhile, F&P Appliances also announced Stuart Broadhurst, 42, would be appointed to the newly-established position of chief operating officer, with responsibility for much of the company's day to day operations.

The new role will report directly to chief executive John Bongard, which would allow him to spend more time focusing on the global growth opportunities arising from the Haier relationship.

Bongard said a recent visit he and members of the management team made to Haier headquarters in Qingdao had confirmed "the significant promise offered by the Haier partnership".

- NZPA