Industry stalwart Mike Knowles set to retire following almost four decades working in support of New Zealand’s kiwifruit industry
New Zealand exporter Zespri has confirmed that its strategic relationships manager for shipping, Mike Knowles, is due to retire later in 2026, after 37 years of service to the country’s kiwifruit industry.
Knowles was originally employed by the Kiwifruit Marketing Board, the single-desk exporter set up by the NZ government in the late 1980s which later became Zespri.
Around that time, New Zealand’s kiwifruit export business involved an array of independently operating growers, packhouses, and exporters. With Knowles’ help, Zespri brought them all together as part of an interconnected logistics network.
He also spent several years working for the marketer at its service centre in Belgium, where he was European operations manager.
“During this time, he has made a very significant contribution to our industry,” said a spokesperson for Zespri. “While there are too achievements to list, one of Mike’s standout achievements was the seamless execution of Zespri’s shipping operations throughout the Covid pandemic.
“This period demonstrated the strength of the diversified shipping programme built over previous years, as well as the outstanding performance of his shipping and export documentation teams, who delivered when it mattered most keeping the NZ kiwifruit industry connected to its global markets.”
More recently, Knowles played a key role in the successful launch of Zespri’s first ever bio‑fuelled charter ship to China in mid-March 2025.
Following his planned departure from Zespri, it is understood he will continue to work as a consultant.
