PMA A-NZ Announces New CEO

Following the recent announcement of the pending retirement of Michael Worthington, the CEO of PMA Australia-New Zealand, the organisation today announced the appointment of Mr. Darren Keating as his replacement. 

According to the Chairman of PMA A-NZ, John Said, “Following an extensive search process and interviews with an excellent range of candidates, we are delighted to have Darren join us. He will bring youth, energy and a dynamic approach to the organisation. One of his key strengths is his ability to build positive relationships and strategic alliances with a range of stakeholders across all sectors. He has an excellent track record in his most recent role as Executive Officer of an agribusiness member organisation and we are confident he will bring fresh ideas and insights to PMA A-NZ and the fresh produce industry in general”.  

In accepting the role, Mr Keating said, “I am very excited to take on this leadership role with PMA ANZ and look forward to proactively working with the members and all the other stakeholders in building on existing initiatives and unearthing new opportunities to further strengthen our services to members and our contribution to the fresh produce industry”.  

Mr. Said added, “Over the past few years, PMA A-NZ has built a really solid foundation and is playing an active and valuable role in the Australasian fresh produce industry and the broader PMA global community; the Board is now very keen to see the leadership in the organisation pass to the next generation. I will be standing down as Chairman in November and handing over to Andrew Francey of OneHarvest, with Joe Craggs of Tropical Pines coming in as Vice-Chairman. Andrew, Joe and Darren clearly represent the next generation and will collectively bring vitality to the organisation and to the industry.” 

Mr. Keating will assume the role in mid-August and then will work with Mr. Worthington over the following 2-3 months on the handover.  

About PMA Australia-New Zealand 

PMA A-NZ is the first stand-alone affiliate of the global Produce Market Association (PMA), which includes 2,500 member companies in 43 countries With members from all sectors of the supply chain in the fresh fruit, vegetable and floral industries of Australia and New Zealand, PMA A-NZ provides a range of services and programs for its members and the industry in general, including major networking events, programs to attract and develop talent, research and outreach in food safety and traceability and initiatives to increase awareness and consumption of fresh produce.

Source: PMA Australia-New Zealand