The a2 Milk Company has appointed Lain Jager as an Independent Non Executive Director following a Board Director search conducted by SEQEL Partners. 

The a2 Milk Company is a dairy nutritionals company fuelled by its purpose to pioneer the future of dairy for good. Founded in New Zealand in 2000 by scientist Dr Corran McLachlan and his business partner, Howard Paterson, today The a2 Milk Company has revenues of $1.6 billion and has business activities in Asia, ANZ and North America.

Lain brings extensive international, agribusiness leadership experience to the Board through his former role as CEO of Zespri International which he held from 2008 to 2017. Zespri is the world’s largest marketer of kiwifruit, distributed in more than 50 countries, with current revenues of NZ$4.2 billion. Over his tenure as CEO Lain led the development of a successful global growth strategy, and significant increases in revenue and profitability.

Prior to his appointment as CEO Lain spent four years as the General Manager of the Global Supply Chain for Zespri.  His early career was in increasingly senior human resources positions with the Sheraton Auckland, Fletcher Challenge Steel & Wire and Zespri.

Since stepping down from Zespri in 2017, Lain has focused on private business interests including personal investments in a range of entrepreneurial, technology and agriculture related businesses.

Lain holds a Master of Social Sciences (Industrial Psychology) from the University of Waikato. His appointment is with effect from 1 December 2024.