Mentor
Henry van der Heyden
Overview
Sir Henry van der Heyden is a prominent New Zealand business leader and dairy farmer whose influence on the country’s primary sector and wider economy has spanned more than three decades. He is known for visionary leadership, a consistent focus on growth and value creation, and an ability to align diverse stakeholders around bold strategic choices. Widely regarded as a champion of “New Zealand Inc.”, he has played a pivotal role in promoting New Zealand’s interests and industries on the global stage.
As Chair of New Zealand Dairy Group, Henry was instrumental in the merger and integration of NZDG, Kiwi Dairies and the New Zealand Dairy Board to form Fonterra in 2001 – a landmark consolidation that created a global dairy co-operative with revenues of around NZ$18 billion and operations in 140 countries. Upon formation, Fonterra became New Zealand’s largest company and a cornerstone of its export economy. Henry then served as Chair of Fonterra from 2002 to 2012, overseeing its growth and international expansion during a critical decade for the co-operative. His vision and engagement were central in aligning more than 10,500 farmer-shareholders behind a common direction, and in introducing innovations such as Trading Among Farmers and the establishment of a Shareholders’ Council.
Beyond Fonterra, Henry has held a series of significant governance roles across listed, cooperative and Iwi-based enterprises. He has served as a Director of the New Zealand Stock Exchange; Chair of Auckland International Airport; Chair of Tainui Group Holdings; and Chair of Rabobank Australia and Rabobank New Zealand. He is currently Chair of Manuka SA, an Independent Director of Foodstuffs North Island and Foodstuffs NZ, and a Director of several private entities. Across these roles he is known for appointing and guiding CEOs and boards that can deliver transformational change, navigate complex stakeholder environments and sustain performance over time.
Sir Henry brings deep cross-sector expertise in:
• Dairy, agriculture & food – leading sector-defining consolidation, governance and global expansion in one of the world’s largest dairy co-operatives and across major food and agri businesses.
• Board leadership, governance & stakeholder alignment – chairing complex organisations with large, diverse shareholder bases and multiple stakeholder groups, including Iwi, government and international partners.
• Infrastructure, banking & capital markets – serving on the boards of exchanges, airports and international banks, bringing a capital allocation and risk lens to nationally significant assets.
• National economic development & “New Zealand Inc.” – championing New Zealand’s interests globally, shaping industry structures and building leadership teams that deliver long-term value for the country and its regions.
A graduate of the University of Canterbury with a Bachelor of Engineering (Honours), Sir Henry’s contribution has been recognised with numerous honours and awards, including appointment as a Distinguished Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit in 2007 (redesignated as a Knight Companion in 2009), New Zealand Business Person of the Year (2007), New Zealand Chairman of the Year (2012), an Honorary Doctor of Commerce from Lincoln University (2011) and the Rabobank Leadership Award (2015), a leading trans-Tasman agri-leadership distinction.
PDF Profile
Download PDFMajor Career Roles
New Zealand Dairy Group
Chair
Fonterra Co-operative Group
Chair
Auckland International Airport
Chair
Tainui Group Holdings
Chair
Rabobank Australia
Chair
Rabobank New Zealand
Chair
Manuka SA
Chair
Other Career Highlights
New Zealand Stock Exchange (NZX)
Director
Foodstuffs North Island
Independent Director
Foodstuffs NZ
Independent Director
Multiple private entities
Director
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