ATM - Organisational announcement: Chief Supply Chain Officer

Thursday 10th November 2022

The a2 Milk Company (“a2MC” or the “Company”) is pleased to announce the appointment of Chopin Zhang as Chief Supply Chain Officer to lead a2MC’s end-to-end supply chain in all categories and markets.

This new Executive Leadership Team role, reporting to a2MC’s Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, will bring together the Company’s operations and manufacturing teams to transform the Company’s supply chain as a key aspect of its refreshed growth strategy.

Chopin has over 35 years’ experience in supply chain management with significant experience in China and New Zealand including planning, procurement, manufacturing, quality, cross border trade, distribution, regulatory affairs, and government relations. Chopin has extensive experience in the China infant milk formula (IMF) market having held senior executive and supply chain leadership roles with Yashili and Danone.

Chopin was the Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director of Yashili from 2017 to 2020 where he was responsible for transforming the growth and performance of the business in Greater China, optimising its New Zealand export business, restructuring and turning around its manufacturing operations (four sites in China and one in New Zealand with multiple China label IMF registrations), accelerating innovation and new product development, and executing M&A and business development projects. Since 2020, Chopin has been an industry consultant including to Yashili.

Prior to his roles with Yashili, Chopin was the Chief Executive Officer (Greater China) of Food Union from 2015 to 2016 where he was responsible for the establishment of its dairy products business in China, including building and commissioning two dairy manufacturing sites. Chopin was also previously the Operations and Supply Chain Director (Greater China) for Danone from 2010 to 2015 where he established its international ingredients procurement function, developed its cross-border English label IMF operations, and led the Dumex IMF manufacturing facility in Shanghai.

During his career, Chopin has held additional supply chain senior leadership roles across Greater China, Asia Pacific and the USA with leading consumer goods companies including Starbucks, Nike and Johnson & Johnson.

David Bortolussi, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of a2MC, said, “We are pleased to appoint Chopin at such an important time as we transform our supply chain to enable further market access, innovation and growth. This will be achieved through investing in Mataura Valley Milk and acquiring additional manufacturing capability in New Zealand and China with the support of our strategic partners – China National Agriculture Development Group Co (CNADC), China State Farm Agribusiness (CSFA) and China Animal Husbandry Group (CAHG). Chopin’s expertise in the China infant milk formula industry and experience across New Zealand and China make him the ideal candidate to take on this new strategic role for the Company.”

Chopin will commence on 14 November 2022 and will be based in Auckland going forward.

CSCO

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