Global Dairy Platform (GDP), a pre-competitive collaboration of dairy sector organizations focused on encouraging the appropriate intake of nutrient-rich dairy foods and demonstrating the sector’s role in sustainable agriculture, today announced the addition of Mr. Kazuo Kawamura, President of Meiji Holdings Co. Limited, Japan to GDP’s Board of Directors.
“We are delighted to have Mr. Kawamura join the GDP Board to represent our Japanese members,” said Rick Smith, GDP Board Chair and Dairy Farmers of America President and Chief Executive Officer. “The dairy industry in Japan is very important and Meiji along with Morinaga and Megmilk Snow Brands are key members of GDP. Mr. Kawamura is also the current Chairman of J-Milk which represents the Japanese dairy sector and he will bring his vast experience of the dairy sector in Japan and more broadly to help drive GDP’s mission to align and support the industry in promoting sustainable dairy nutrition.”
Kazuo Kawamura will serve on the board along with Rick Smith, President & CEO Dairy Farmers of America; Mike Durkin, President & CEO of Leprino Foods; Miles Hurrell, CEO Fonterra Co-operative Group; Minfang (Jeffrey) Lu, CEO & Executive Director China Mengniu Dairy Company; Lino Saputo Jr., Chairman & CEO Saputo Inc.; Hein Schumacher, CEO Royal FrieslandCampina and Peder Tuborgh; CEO Arla Foods.
Additional governance members include Dr. Margrethe Jonkman, Deputy Chair of the GDP Board and Chair of the Operational Committee, Corporate Director Research & Development Royal FrieslandCampina; Dr. Judith Bryans, President International Dairy Federation; Jerry Kaminski, Chief Operating Officer Land O’Lakes; Hanne Søndergaard, Chief Marketing Officer Arla Foods; Judith Swales, Chief Operating Officer Transformation & Innovation Fonterra Co-operative Group; Jay Waldvogel, Senior Vice President of Strategy and International Development Dairy Farmers of America.
About Global Dairy Platform
Established in 2006, GLOBAL DAIRY PLATFORM’s membership of dairy companies, associations, scientific bodies and other partners collaborate pre-competitively to promote the necessary intake of nutrient-rich dairy products, build evidence on dairy’s role in the diet, and show the sector’s commitment to responsible and sustainable food production. Together, the collaboration aims to demonstrate dairy’s contribution to global food systems, healthy diets, and sustainable livelihoods. Visit www.globaldairyplatform.com for more information.
