Richard Allen is set to assume the role of CEO on May 1, 2026, succeeding Miles Hurrell, who will stay on in an advisory capacity until September 2026 to facilitate the “leadership transition.”
Peter McBride, chairman of Fonterra, described Allen as an “exceptional leader” with a “strong connection with farmer shareholders and customers,” and praised his “deep knowledge” of the company’s global operations and market dynamics.
Allen has had an extensive career at the Auckland-based organization, spanning 18 years, having joined in 2008 as a graduate. Throughout his journey, he has occupied various positions within Fonterra’s international operations, including vice president of foodservice in China and president of both the Americas and Europe based in Chicago.
“Richard is passionate about our Co-operative,” noted McBride. “His most recent position was president of global ingredients, where he oversaw Fonterra’s ingredient sales, optimization, risk management, trading, and global manufacturing.”
Further emphasizing Allen’s extensive experience, McBride remarked, “He joined Fonterra as a graduate in 2008, and his career has encompassed our global supply chain. He led our farmer-facing business Farm Source for five years, served as vice president of foodservice in China, was the founding CEO of MyMilk, and recently, he was the president for the Atlantic region, managing relationships with several of our significant global accounts.”
Before this latest appointment, Allen functioned as the company’s president of global markets ingredients, a position he took on in August 2024.
Hurrell, the outgoing CEO, has been at the helm of Fonterra for nearly eight years and has also been a long-time executive, starting his tenure in 2008 as vice president of global sourcing.
Upon his new role, Allen stated, “I’ve built my career with Fonterra and understand the important role the Co-op plays both for farmers here in New Zealand and our customers around the world.”
He added, “I’m dedicated to sustaining the momentum in our performance, ensuring the effective execution of strategy and financial discipline that has evolved over the past few years. Fonterra has a robust foundation to build upon, and I am enthusiastic about our future as we continue to operate as a New Zealand farmer-owned global B2B dairy provider.”