Beef + Lamb New Zealand (B+LNZ) has appointed Bayden Barber as an Independent Director to its board.
Barber farms Angus cattle on a 100-acre block in Waimārama, Hawke’s Bay, and is chairman of Waimārama Section 3 Block 2 Trust, which consists of forestry and dry stock farming. He is also a Trustee of the Tiakitai Estate, which is leased to Horizon Farms.
A Hastings District councillor, Barber and wife Myra run consultancy business Ipurangi Developments Limited. He is a member of the Hawke’s Bay Rural Advisory Group and a director of Health Hawke’s Bay Limited, a Primary Health Organisation.
Barber is also a member of the New Zealand Institute of Directors, sits on the board of Te Taura Whiri o Te Reo Māori (Māori Language Commission) and is a Trustee on the Māori Education Trust, representing the New Zealand Māori Council. He is of Ngāti Kahungunu, Ngāpuhi and Ngāi Tahu descent.
B+LNZ Chairman Andrew Morrison welcomed the appointment.
“Bayden will bring an excellent mix of governance, rural expertise, business acumen and cultural capability to support Beef + Lamb New Zealand to achieve our strategic goals and objectives. I would also like to acknowledge the excellent contribution made by Melissa Clark-Reynolds over her term as an independent director.”
The independent director position is designed to bring independent judgement and outside experience to the board. B+LNZ‘s current board composition is six farmer-elected directors who are regionally representative, two meat industry appointees and an independent director.