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Yili Group has appointed Alex Turnbull as chief executive officer to lead its five New Zealand companies: Westland Milk Products, Oceania Dairy, Canary, EasiYo and Pure Nutrition.

He will assume the role on Monday, 16 February and report to Zhiqiang Li, director of Yili Oceania business division in the region.

Turnbull, an experienced New Zealand agribusiness executive, was previously CEO of Manuka Health, where he oversaw a business turnaround that improved profitability, cash flow and operational performance.

His past roles include senior executive and board positions at Fonterra, including managing director for Latin America, as well as leadership positions across global ingredients, nutrition and consumer businesses.

Li said: “Yili’s investment in our high-value strategy is continuing to reap dividends with extra production capacity in the high-value protein and fats categories, leading to increased global sales. Across a number of categories, demand continues to outstrip supply."

He continued: “Alex brings with him more than three decades of senior leadership experience with a strong New Zealand focus across the global dairy and food sectors, spanning ingredients, consumer brands and foodservice".

“He has a mandate to strengthen performance, deepen farmer and customer partnerships, and support the long-term success of Yili’s New Zealand businesses.’’

Turnbull added: “New Zealand plays a unique and important role in Yili’s global portfolio. I’m excited to be joining the business and to work closely with our farmers, customers and teams to build on the strong foundations already in place and create enduring value together.”