The parent company of Kerrygold has appointed Shane Henry as the new managing director for Ornua Dairy Ingredients.
This division will establish a dedicated global business unit within the broader Ornua Group, consolidating member relations, dairy procurement, trading, and distribution activities into a cohesive platform.
In his position, Henry is expected to create “strong, sustainable, and profitable” market pathways for Irish dairy products sourced from Ornua’s cooperative members. He will lead his team in the formulation and execution of Ornua’s commercial strategy, enhance alignment with member cooperatives, and elevate the global performance of this new unit.
Henry brings over 20 years of senior management experience to this role, having occupied various positions related to management, business transformation, and implementation at Ornua for the last 25 years. Prior to this, he served as the managing director of the company’s Route-to-Market & Member Relations team and will report to CEO Conor Galvin.
The Dublin-based firm has also welcomed Seán McHugh as the head of global manufacturing and operational excellence.
Reporting to COO Jason Musk, McHugh is tasked with enhancing performance across Ornua’s global manufacturing operations and establishing a standardized program for operational excellence.
McHugh, like Henry, is a seasoned Ornua professional with 25 years of experience in various management roles focused on operational strategy and efficiency. He most recently led Ornua’s butter production facility, Kerrygold Park, in County Cork, while also heading global research and development for Kerrygold.
Commenting on these appointments, Galvin stated, “The introduction of a more focused and agile global operating model is key to the delivery of our new and ambitious five-year growth strategy, which will drive value for Ornua’s member co-operatives and Irish farming families, while serving the needs of our customers across the globe.”
He added, “As part of these changes, I’d like to congratulate Shane Henry and Seán McHugh on their appointments to two newly created senior leadership positions. Both bring a wealth of experience and expertise to their important new roles, having held a range of senior-level management positions within Ornua over some 25 years.”
