The chief executive of Carbery Group, Dan MacSweeney, has announced that he is to retire from the group after 25 years in the role.
By Kieran O’Mahony
THE chief executive of Carbery Group, Dan MacSweeney, has announced that he is to retire from the group after 25 years in the role.
Mr MacSweeney will step down at the end of December, having worked with the company for nearly 39 years.
Speaking exclusively to The Southern Star, Mr MacSweeney said that the board will be appointing a new successor over the next few months and that he will be leaving the company.
‘I’ve been very busy and the first thing to do is draw breath for a while and there are some things that I might be interested in which I might pursue some time next year,’ said Mr MacSweeney.
‘I know 25 years sounds like a long time, but we’ve been quite busy and the time has passed quickly. It’s quite surprising to look at the calendar and see it’s been 25 years.’
Building and developing the Carbery business over that time had been an exciting challenge, the chief executive said, and thanked the board for their ‘tremendous support’ in that task.
‘I have great confidence in the Carbery business and I have no doubt that the business will continue to grow and develop in the years ahead, continuing to deliver for the milk suppliers of West Cork in the future,’ he added.
Dermot O’Leary, chairman of Carbery Group thanked Dan for his commitment and dedication to Carbery since he joined the company.
‘Under Dan’s leadership and direction, the group has expanded to a point where we now have diversified operations across four continents, supplying close to 40 international markets and a successful and diverse portfolio of dairy, nutrition and food ingredients businesses. On behalf of the board I would like to wish Dan and his family every success in the future,’ he said.
Among the many stories that the outgoing chief exeutive related was the one concerning current Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney, and how he came to hold the middle name ‘Carbery’.
‘Hugh, Simon’s father, was attending a meeting here when his wife was due to give birth to Simon in hospital. He couldn’t make the birth and so his wife insisted on naming the new baby Simon Carbery to remind him of missing the birth!
