Animal Health Ireland appoints Patrick Donohoe as new CEO
Animal Health Ireland (AHI) has announced the appointment of Patrick Donohoe, a former advisor to Charlie McConalogue while the latter was minister for agriculture, as its new chief executive officer (CEO).
Donohoe's work will involve implementing AHI’s strategic initiatives, and delivering "for the benefit of farm families, the industry, consumers, and animal health".
He has served in a range of leadership roles in the agriculture sector over the past decade. He will join AHI in July and departs Lakeland Dairies, where he currently serves as chief corporate affairs officer, and is a member of the co-op’s senior leadership team.
Prior to Lakeland Dairies, Donohoe served as special advisor to the former Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue.
Before his tenure with McConalogue, he had a prior spell with Lakeland, and before that LacPatrick Dairies, leading the merger process between the two co-ops.
Welcoming the appointment, AHI chairperson James Lynch said: “On behalf of the board of AHI, I am pleased to welcome Patrick as our new CEO. Patrick brings with him a unique perspective in terms of the commercial and practical aspects of our industry.
"He has proven himself at the highest levels of government and agri-business, and I am confident that he will be a success in this role. I would like to thank our interim CEO Dr. Sean Brady who has been an effective custodian and driver of the AHI business over the last three months and will continue until Patrick’s arrival in July," Lynch added.
“The success of our industry is built on the bedrock of healthy livestock. To ensure that we retain our competitive edge in an ever-evolving trade landscape, a healthy livestock population is critical, and AHI will continue to play a leadership role in this space."
Donohoe himself said: “I’m really excited to be appointed the new CEO of AHI and I can’t wait to get started. We are at a critical juncture for our industry, and animal health is pivotal to the continued success of our multi-billion-euro industry.
“There are hugely talented and committed people in AHI, and I am looking forward to putting cutting-edge research into practice and communicating effectively with farmers, vets and industry on the huge benefits of fostering positive health practices.
“Our industry, made up of excellent farmers, skilled vets and innovative companies, is the envy of the word and I know AHI can support its further development. I firmly believe that AHI is at the forefront of futureproofing the industry."
Animal Health Ireland provides knowledge, education, and coordination for the control of non-regulated diseases, including bovine viral diarrhoea (BVD), infectious bovine rhinotracheitis (IBR), and Johne’s Disease.
It also leads programmes such as Beef HealthCheck, Pig HealthCheck, Parasite Control, CellCheck, and CalfCare.
