director of legal
As Fonterra’s director of legal, Andrew Cordner leads a highly experienced and agile global team of lawyers to provide legal support to New Zealand’s largest company with diverse international operations and sales into more than 140 markets.
Under Cordner’s leadership, Fonterra’s legal team has played a key role in the following significant projects in the past 12 months:
- Fonterra’s strategic review process, including the high-profile sale of its iconic ice cream business, Tip Top, for $380 million; sale of its 50% interest in DFE Pharma, for $633 million; sale of its Venezuelan consumer business; and the sell down of its stake in Beingmate, a Chinese public infant formula manufacturer
- the Dairy Industry Restructuring Act review including intensive engagement with government and officials and submissions to Select Committee
- major trademark litigation relating to use of the Bega brand in Australia
- successful defence of Open Country Dairy milk price judicial review proceedings
- novel climate change litigation proceedings in New Zealand
- major multi-year outsourcing of our global IT infrastructure
Cordner also had a material role in supporting Fonterra through the challenges of COVID-19 in New Zealand and multiple offshore markets, including addressing health and safety, supply chain, customer, and supplier issues. Other key projects he has led include the continued enhancement of Fonterra’s online legal workgroup, and the successful adoption of a legal practice management system developed by a local NZ legal tech start-up.
