The experienced business leader takes the reins from Steve Anderson.
Foodstuffs South Island Ltd has announced the appointment of experienced business leader Mary Devine as its new CEO.
Devine takes the reins from Steve Anderson who has been CEO of the cooperative for the past 20 years and is retiring after a stellar career helping the business deliver on its mission to ‘feed the South Island’.
Foodstuffs South Island chair, Russell McKenzie said: “We undertook a global search and, after a robust process, the fact the best person for the role is a Kiwi who was born and bred in the South Island is a tremendous bonus. Mary has the leadership skills and retail expertise to lead the cooperative into a new phase of excellence in terms of meeting the needs of our customers.”
Devine is proud of her South Island heritage and is well connected within the community; McKenzie said the board felt the cooperative would be well served not only in her inherent retail capability, but her strong people skills and desire to make a positive contribution.
“Mary has successfully led a number of retail businesses and we are fortunate that over the past three years she has been on the board of both Foodstuffs South Island and Foodstuffs New Zealand. This depth of understanding will be invaluable in leading the key strategic priorities facing the business,” McKenzie said.
Devine said: “Foodstuffs South Island [is] a highly respected business that plays a pivotal role within the South Island community. I’m looking forward to working across the organisation to ensure retail excellence to benefit our customers, suppliers, and members.
“Personally, I am aligned with the philosophy of the cooperative model, the strong partnership between the support office, members and suppliers creates an important collaboration in achieving customer centricity.”
Devine comes to the cooperative with an extensive track record within the retail sector and broader business landscape. Previous roles include CEO of EziBuy, managing director of J Ballantyne and Company Ltd, and latterly as managing director of Hallenstein Glasson – in addition to an extensive governance career across many large New Zealand businesses.
In 2013 Devine received the Honorary Queens award of an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit (ONZM) for services to business.
She will commence as CEO designate at Foodstuffs South Island on November 8, 2021 to allow for a timely transition with Anderson.
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