Chris joined Farmlands/Te Whenua Tāroa in December 2021 as Chief Merchandising Officer. 

 He is responsible for relationships with the over 1,100 suppliers of products sold through our network of stores and direct-to-customer sales channels, all ultimately ending up on our customers’ whenua (land). 

He is focused on leading a transformation in the way Farmlands/Te Whenua Tāroa makes merchandising decisions to ensure the co-operative is developing a deep understanding of the customers’ needs through insights and creating the most effective models for meeting these needs. 

 Chris is an experienced executive leader, who works to create a culture of trust and diversity of thought within his team. He possesses extensive retail sector experience in New Zealand, the United Kingdom and Europe – including with major retail brands such as Miter 10, Countdown, Walmart, Asda and Lidl. 

 As a key part of our product offer for customers, Chris also has responsibility for the Farmlands card team. The Farmlands card is a vital part of our customer offer and is an area where we are planning to see significant growth.  

 Chris is passionate about growing his knowledge in the primary sector and welcomes any opportunity to meet with customers on their land. When not working, Chris is spending time with his whānau and doing anything relating to the whenua.