Glanbia announces new chairperson to lead board from 2026
Glanbia plc has announced a new chairperson who will take over from outgoing chair Donard Gaynor from next year.
Glanbia has appointed non-executive director Paul Duffy as chair designate. He will succeed Gaynor on January 1.
Gaynor will formally retire from the board on December 31.
The appointment follows a chair succession process, which was led by Roisin Brennan, the senior independent director.
Duffy has been a director of Glanbia plc since March 1, 2021, and has significant global business experience in the consumer sector, Glanbia said.
He is a member of the company’s Nomination & Governance and Remuneration Committees, as well as chair of the Audit Committee.
Duffy is a former chairperson and chief executive officer (CEO) of Pernod Ricard North America, a leader in the wine and spirits industry.
During his 25-year career with Pernod Ricard, Duffy held a number of senior leadership positions, including serving in chairperson and CEO roles at Pernod Ricard UK, The Absolut Company (Sweden) and Irish Distillers.
He served on the Pernod Ricard global management executive committee.
He is a fellow of Chartered Accountants Ireland and is a graduate of Trinity College Dublin, Ireland. He is a non-executive director of Hostelworld Group plc, W.A. Baxter & Sons, and a former chairperson of Irish Children’s Museum.
Commenting on his appointment, Duffy said: "It is a privilege to be appointed Chair of Glanbia plc. I look forward to working with the Glanbia board and leadership team on the focused delivery of strategy and value creation for our stakeholders.
"On behalf of the board I would like to warmly thank Donard for his dedicated service and leadership of the company over the past 12 years. He has made a substantial contribution during a period of significant evolution for Glanbia."
Outgoing chairperson Gaynor said: "It has been an honour to serve as the first independent chair of Glanbia plc. I would like to thank Siobhán Talbot, Hugh McGuire, my board colleagues and our shareholders for their support during my tenure as chairman."
Of his successor, Gaynor said he has "excellent experience and a strong track record of delivery in executive and non-executive roles which he has brought to Glanbia".
"I look forward to working with Paul in the coming months to facilitate a smooth transition ahead of his formal appointment as Glanbia chair on January 1, 2026," Gaynor added.
