New Chairman appointed to AgResearch Board of Directors
27 June 2008
AgResearch Chief Executive Dr Andrew West today announced that Sam Robinson had been appointed as Chairman of the Crown
Research Institute’s Board of Directors.
“Sam Robinson is a well known Hawke’s Bay sheep and beef farmer who is highly respected in the red meat industry and an
acknowledged farming leader,” said Dr West.
Mr Robinson will take up the position on 1st July 2008 and will take over from outgoing Chair Rick Christie, who
recently announced he would step down from the Board to tackle his increased workload elsewhere.
Dr West said that while Mr Robinson was new to AgResearch and the Board, his wealth of experience in the agricultural
sector would equip him well. “The knowledge and expertise Mr Robinson brings will be of immense value to AgResearch.”
Formerly Chairman of Richmond Ltd before its acquisition by PPCS, Sam Robinson is a member of the Prime Minister's
Growth and Innovation Advisory Board, is a Director of the Port of Napier, and was a member of the Government's Food & Beverage Task Force. Until recently he was also the Chair of the Agricultural and Marketing Research and Development
Trust (AGMARDT). He farms close to Waipukurau.
Dr West also announced that Andrew MacPherson had been appointed to the AgResearch Board of Directors. “Mr MacPherson
has had a long association with AgResearch and will contribute much to its governance.”
Andrew MacPherson was CEO of textiles R institute Canesis Network (which was acquired by AgResearch in 2007) and prior to this was CEO of AgResearch’s fully
owned subsidiary, AgVax. A trained Veterinarian, he is currently chairman of the Johnes Disease Research Consortium and
a director of the Animal Health Board. Mr MacPherson owns an east coast sheep and beef station and lives in Wellington.
“I greatly welcome these two appointments. I am pleased to also inform that existing Directors Danny Chan and Susan
Huria have been appointed for a second, three-year term to the AgResearch Board,” said Dr West.
ENDS