Robinson back at the Richmond helm

By PHILIPPA STEVENSON

The popular former farmer chairman of the Hastings-headquartered Richmond meat company, Sam Robinson, has returned to the top position after a year of boardroom musical chairs.

Mr Robinson, the company's longest-serving director and chairman from 1996 to January last year, was reappointed chairman yesterday.

Despite a campaign by some Hawkes Bay shareholders to keep him at the helm in the midst of a takeover bid by South Island processor PPCS, Mr Robinson stood down last year, saying he "recognised a desire within the board for a change."

In the months since, the seat has been filled by the former Ernst and Young chairman Bob Croker, originally the nominee of major shareholder Peter Spencer. Mr Croker stepped down in November and the position was filled by director Michael Morris, former chairman of KPMG.

Yesterday, Mr Robinson said he was honoured to lead Richmond again but was very conscious of the amount of work still to be done for the company.

Richmond plans to list on the stock exchange and make a $50 million capital notes offer.

Mr Robinson said the past 18 months had been an amazing experience and one of the more unusual occurrences in corporate history.