Anchor chief quits in wake of merger
Managing director Simon Tuckey throws in the towel after Anchor and Lurpak announce joint venture
Anchor butter’s managing director is to leave the company next year, following the announcement of a joint venture between Anchor’s parent company, New Zealand Milk (NZM), and Arla Food’s Lurpak (MW last week).
Simon Tuckey, who does not have a job to go to, has told colleagues that he is to leave the company. It is not yet clear who will be taking on Tuckey’s responsibilities, as the joint venture is still subject to Office of Fair Trading approval.
Lurpak’s parent company, Arla Foods, will have a 75 per cent share in the joint venture, and Fonterra Co-operative Group – parent company of NZM – will hold the remaining share.
Tuckey has held a number of senior marketing and sales roles at several companies before joining NZM, including a spell as marketing director for McVitie’s between 1987 and 1991.
At McVitie’s, Tuckey played a pivotal role in launching Mini Cheddars. After that, he worked as the regional managing director for United Biscuits in the Asia-Pacific region before returning to the UK last year to head NZM.
Last year, NZM invested &£10m in a major revamp of its Anchor brand, featuring a new logo and packaging strategy. However, it lost its number-one position in the butter market for the first time in 75 years to Lurpak.
