By PHILIPPA STEVENSON agricultural editor
Dairy Board chief executive Warren Larsen will step down next May from the job he has held for nine years.
Mr Larsen yesterday declined to comment on the resignation he had wanted kept under wraps until the end of the year.
It was confirmed by the board after
reports of the departure were leaked to the media.
Sources in the notoriously political sector speculated that Mr Larsen wanted to keep the resignation confidential to maintain his influence in the industry as long as possible, but others were keen to pull the rug.
In a statement, Mr Larsen said he would continue to drive the $8 billion business during a crucial period in its development.
"There are several very exciting international initiatives currently underway that are vitally important to the future interests of New Zealand dairy farmers. I wish to see these come to fruition," he said.
The outspoken Mr Larsen has forged ahead with industry plans to form strategic partnerships with overseas companies - Bonlac in Australia and Dairy Farmers of America - and has promised more before the end of the year.
The board moves follow the March failure of the two big cooperatives, New Zealand Dairy Group and Kiwi Dairies, to merge and form an industry structure integrating manufacturing with the board's marketing function.
Mr Larsen's continuation of the board's historic leadership role is likely to have been unpopular with the powerful companies, which see driving industry direction as their prerogative.
The 53-year-old, whose salary last year was $800,000, became board chief executive in December 1992, having been its protein division manager for 18 months.
He had previously headed two dairy companies in the Bay of Plenty over nine years.
Mr Larsen has degrees in agricultural science and business and is a graduate of the European Institute of Business Administration's advanced management programme.
It is unknown whether the keen pilot, hunter and fisherman will be looking for a new position or whether he will follow the course favoured by other departing board chiefs and take up company directorships.
