Peter Beaven, a leading figure in the global topfruit business, is to commence a gradual departure from his role as chief executive officer of New Zealand apple and pear association Pipfruit NZ following the start of the new year, it has been confirmed.
Interviewed in the latest edition of New Zealand fresh produce industry magazine The Orchardist, Beaven said he would continue to work in the industry and hoped to retain some role within Pipfruit NZ itself once a replacement was found.
The organisation is understood to be consulting with recruiters and industry contacts in order to identify a successor.
Beaven took up his current position just three years after the dismantling of export body Enza's monopoly status and the subsequent deregulation of New Zealand's apple and pear business overseas.
Since then, he has helped to steer the sector through major developments including a significant drop in the number of growers, a proliferation of brands post-deregulation, the introduction of tighter controls on pesticide residues, and increased production and marketing of club varieties – including Pink Lady, in which he took an active role.
Beaven's contribution was also instrumental in the New Zealand apple industry's efforts to break open the Australian market and also to engineer a shift in focus from Europe – where around three-quarters of production was sold back in 2004/05 – towards new markets in Asia.
Pipfruit NZ is set to announce Beaven's replacement in the new year.
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