“I have been in this role since June, and I am loving it. I am also the current Chair of Kotahi GP Limited. Never a dull day in operations we say”.
“You have a fair few things to handle in your job there,” Kelly said.
“Before I started at Fonterra, I was at Air New Zealand for 16 years and most recently leading Air New Zealand’s global cargo function through the global pandemic. So was never a dull day there either,” Palairet said.
“That’s quite a change coming from Air NZ to Fonterra, isn’t it?” Kelly asked.
“It was, but at the end of the day, it is all about leading people and delivering for both farmers and customers and that part was particularly similar,” Palairet said.
“It is not easy for farmers at present and we are doing what we can to support them, starting this season with a new advanced rate schedule.
“This means farmers have received more cash earlier than they normally would, with the capital return due to be paid this month, and we are on track for a full-year dividend.
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“If we look at operations, it is very much about making sure we are running as efficiently as we can because no doubt it is a tough time for our farmers, but the future for high quality and low carbon dairy is bright.”
Kelly asked, “Anna, where did it start for you when you left school?”
“I grew up in the Hawke’s Bay province and have a wonderful whānau at home, a husband and two teenage children. I studied at Massey, graduating with a Batchelor of Science specialising in genetics and microbiology,” she said.
“I started my working life at the NZ Dairy Board and have also worked for large multinational companies in both New Zealand and Australia. The majority in operations.
“It is always wonderful and a privilege to work with people who are passionate to do things better, smarter, and with the result being to deliver the best value for farmers and customers.”
