Our people make the difference and drive our success
We bring a diverse team of people to the table, each with significant expertise and experience within their fields. Their leadership, energy and enthusiasm is evident in all that we do. We always do the right thing and are straight forward with each other.
We demonstrate integrity, respect and work as a team to build mutually beneficial relationships and partnerships.
Board of Directors
Chopin Zhang
Director
Chopin joined The a2 Milk Company in November 2022 and has over 35 years of experience in supply chain management with significant experience in China and New Zealand, including planning, procurement, manufacturing, quality, cross-border trade, distribution, regulatory affairs, and government relations. Chopin has extensive experience in the China infant milk formula (IMF) market, having held senior executive and supply chain leadership roles with Yashili and Danone.
During his career, Chopin has held additional supply chain senior leadership roles across Greater China, Asia Pacific and the USA with leading consumer goods companies including Starbucks, Nike and Johnson & Johnson.
Chopin’s expertise in the China infant milk formula industry and experience across New Zealand and China are essential as he leads the transformation of The a2 Milk Company’s supply chain to enable further market access, innovation and growth.
David Muscat
Director
As CFO of The a2 Milk Company, David is responsible for finance, investor relations, risk and IT across the Group. David is a capable and experienced finance and people leader with a demonstrated history of working in a dually-listed company (NZX/ASX) and working directly with the Board of Directors and the Audit and Risk Committee.
Prior to joining the Group, David was the CFO of DIM Brands International (formerly Hanes Europe Innerwear), and prior to this was the CFO of Hanes Australasia. David was the CFO of ASX and NZX-listed Pacific Brands prior to its takeover by Hanesbrands Inc. in 2016. David commenced his career at Deloitte and has gained significant experience in the apparel, consumer goods and retail sectors in various international markets, including China.
Qingchun Yang
Director
Graduated from the Beijing Agricultural University (the former of China Agricultural University), Majored in Animal Pharmacy, Veterinarian.
Previously served as Deputy General Manager of the Trade Division of CAHG Trading Company, Deputy Chief Veterinary Officer of GAHG, General Manager of Animal Health Department of GAHG, and General Manager of Technology & Market Department at CAHG.
Also served as a member of the Party Committee and Deputy General Manager of CAHG. Currently holds the position of General Manager and Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee at CAHG.
Siyuan Cao
Director
Project Manager and Finance Specialist of the Dairy Development Office in China Animal Husbandry Group (the largest Chinese SOE in Animal Husbandry and shareholder of Mataura Valley Milk Limited and the major shareholder of BODCO Limited), Director of Mataura Valley Milk Limited and Financial Representative of BODCO Limited.
Mr. Cao has experienced skills in financial management and capital raising, he was deeply involved in the founding of Mataura Valley Milk and has contributed his intelligence in financial support for MVM in the past years.
Senior Leadership Team
Paddy Mc Myler
General Manager - Mataura Valley Milk
Paddy has approximately 11 years’ experience in the dairy and Infant Nutrition industry. His career was primarily spent in Ireland where he started his career with Kerry Group. He spent some time in Australia with Saputo before moving back to Ireland to work in Tipperary Cooperative.
He has held numerous leadership roles across commercial, supply chain and operations management in his time in the industry and has extensive experience in product development and spray drying technology, having led multiple commissioning programs in Ireland. He has a strong background in operational excellence and completed a lean six sigma black belt in 2020.
Nathan McRae
Head Of Operations - Mataura Valley Milk
With a distinguished career spanning 18-years in dairy processing, Nathan is proficient in managing large teams and complex processes.
Commencing his career at Fonterra in 2006 Nathan progressed into leadership positions including Proteins Process Manager and later serving as the Powder Process Manager, specialising in nutritional base powders, MPC, and various commodities powders including WMP, SMP, and IWMP.
In 2017, Nathan joined Mataura Valley as Process Manager. With oversight of operational readiness, this involved leading recruitment of the Manufacturing Team, establishing critical procedures, training, and commissioning of the plant. Transitioning into the Manufacturing Manager role and later into Acting GM of Operations, skills demonstrated include effective people leadership, adept problem-solving, facilitation, and extensive dairy knowledge.
In 2021, Nathan moved into the position of Operational Excellence Value Delivery Manager, focusing on crafting and implementing an operational excellence strategy with an emphasis on people development in continuous improvement and value creation. Currently, as the Head of Operations, Nathan’s leadership and expertise ensures exceptional performance across all operational aspects of Mataura Valley Milk.
Sonia Morrison
Head of People & Culture NZ - The a2 Milk Company
Sonia is an experienced People and Culture Leader, and is passionate about fostering constructive leadership. She believes in leading by example, creating a positive work environment, and empowering team members to reach their full potential.
As a strategic partner, she contributes to our long-term success by aligning HR initiatives with organisational objectives and believes that a thriving workplace is built on a foundation of engaged and motivated employees. Sonia has a proven track record of collaborating closely with senior leadership teams, aligning HR strategies with business goals, and ensuring that our organisation attracts, retains, and develops top talent.
Scott Waddell
Continuous Improvement & Capital Projects Manager – Mataura Valley Milk
Now with a decade of expertise in primary industry manufacturing, Scott began his career in the meat industry as an Industrial Electrician. He progressed through maintenance leadership roles, to eventually join Mataura Valley Milk in 2017 as the site’s Automation & Electrical Engineer.
Scott played a vital role in the construction and commissioning of the MVM greenfield project, and in 2019, became the site Engineering Manager, establishing key site services and engineering functions. In 2021, Scott transitioned to Project Management to lead Project Recharge, New Zealand’s First High-Pressure Electrode Boiler project.
Committed to personal development, Scott is set to graduate with an MBA from the University of Otago in August 2024. As Continuous Improvement & Capital Projects Manager, he brings a pragmatic approach and engineering expertise to ensure high performance across a broad spectrum of projects at Mataura Valley.
Callam Weetman
Head of Sales & Commercial Development – Mataura Valley Milk
Callam has over 20 years of global dairy experience specialising in sales, business development, global sourcing, and supply chain operations. He has managed and led sales teams for Fonterra, Synlait, and now Mataura Valley Milk.
With over half of his career spent leading market sales teams, he has worked in a number of key nutritional and ingredient markets across the USA, Asia, Middle East, Africa, and Oceania. At MVM, Callam heads up our sales and customer service group, along with leading the development of MVM’s commercial strategy and customer partnerships.
Tina Seebeck
Supply Chain Finance Director - The a2 Milk Company
Tina is a senior finance leader with over 15 years of supply chain and FMCG experience.
Her career has been spent mainly in New Zealand manufacturing environments, having held senior finance roles at Fonterra, Tip Top Ice Cream and Hilton Foods.