Fonterra China boss quits

Fonterra managing director for China Bob Major will retire from the company at the end of his contract in May, the dairy co-operative says.

Bankrupt Chinese dairy company Sanlu, which had been 43 per cent owned by Fonterra, was one of 22 companies caught up in a melamine poisoning crisis last year.

Fonterra group director of human resources Jennifer Kerr said Major had not lost his position because of what happened with Sanlu.

New managing director for China Philip Turner has been chief operating officer of Fonterra China since late last year.