Dairygold’s Bertie O’Leary elected President of ICOS

 Glanbia’s Martin Keane elected Vice-President

29 June, 2012 – Bertie O’Leary has been elected President of ICOS, the Irish Co-operative Organisation Society and Martin Keane has been elected Vice-President of ICOS.

Mr. O’Leary is Chairman and a board member of Dairygold Co-operative Society.  Mr. Keane is Vice-Chairman and a board member of Glanbia Co-operative Society.

Bertie O’Leary is from Ballyvourney, west of Macroom, Co. Cork.  A dairy farmer who has served on the Dairygold board since 2005,  he has served as a Dairygold representative for over 20 years. He was appointed Chairman of Dairygold in January 2012.  Mr. O’Leary was most recently Vice-President of ICOS and Chairman of the ICOS Dairy Committee.  He is also the current chairman of the Irish Milk Quality Co-operative Society.  He is a Dairygold nominee director on the Board of Reox Holdings plc and served as Vice Chairman of Dairygold in 2009 and 2010.

Martin Keane is Vice-Chairman of Glanbia Co-operative Society and is also Vice Chairman of Glanbia plc.   He farms at Errill, Portlaoise, Co. Laois and has completed the ICOS Co-operative Leadership Programme.  He was appointed to the Board of Glanbia plc in 2006 and has served six full years on the Board to date. Mr. Keane is a member of the Audit Committee and Remuneration Committee of Glanbia plc. He is a former director of Co-operative Animal Health Limited. He is also a director of ICS Europaks and is the current Chairman of Donaghmore Famine Workhouse Museum Co-operative Society.

ICOS (the Irish Co-operative Organisation Society) represents co-operatives and organisations in Ireland – including the Irish dairy processing co-operatives and livestock marts – whose associated businesses have a combined turnover in the region of €12 billion, with some 150,000 individual members, employing 12,000 people in Ireland, and a further 24,000 people overseas.   Irish agricultural exports contribute over €9 billion to the Irish economy each year and the sector accounts for 8% of national employment.