NEWPORT BEACH, CA - We reported earlier this week that Dan Mathieson, Chief Executive Officer of Zespri™, announced he would be stepping down to pursue an opportunity with Driscoll’s as President of the Americas. His expert leadership has positioned Zespri for success moving forward.

“I’m so passionate about this industry. It’s filled with incredible, deeply committed people providing a world-class product, and its future is so bright,” Mathieson stated in a press release from Zespri. “We’ve had an industry-wide focus on addressing the quality challenges imposed by Covid restrictions and on delivering the premium-quality product we’re known for and we’ve seen the results of that this season.”

Mathieson has been at Zespri for 21 years, almost seven of those as CEO, and will remain at Zespri to oversee the 2024 harvest and the start of the sales season until a new CEO is appointed. The release noted that the industry is poised to deliver one of its largest-ever crops to meet growing demand for Zespri Kiwifruit around the world.

“While I remain focused on the upcoming season, I’m really proud of what the industry is achieving. The industry has a track record of making bold, forward-thinking decisions which have added strong and sustainable value for growers and communities where we operate,” Mathieson continued. “I’m most proud of the people at Zespri and their commitment to delivering for our growers and partners. We’ve built a terrific culture which can bring the best out of the best people to drive Zespri forward.”

The Board will carry out an executive search for Mathieson’s replacement to take Zespri and the industry forward.

“Under Dan’s exceptional leadership, Zespri grew sales from almost $2.3 billion in 2016–17 to a peak just over $4 billion in 2021–22 prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, with that growth set to continue in the coming years,” said Zespri Chairman Bruce Cameron. “Through that time he demonstrated his ability to bring talented people together, to set and execute strategy, and ultimately to deliver great outcomes for the industry.”

For more from the release, click here.

We look forward to the success that lies ahead for this leading company.