DIRECTORS
Rob Hewett - Independent Chair
Rob was appointed to the Board in March 2025 and has significant governance experience spanning agriculture, horticulture, exporting, renewable energy, and retail. He is currently Chair of Silver Fern Farms, Farmlands Co-operative and Woolworks, a former Councillor of Lincoln University and past Chair of Wool Impact. He was awarded the Deloitte Top 200 Chair of the Year in 2023 and in 2019 received the Co-operative Business New Zealand Outstanding Contribution Award.
George Adams - Independent Director
George Adams joined the Board in June 2018. He was appointed Chair of the Board in July 2020 and held this position until March 2025. George is a member of the Audit Committee. George was also appointed Chair of the Board’s Nomination Committee in July 2020 and is a member of the Board’s Audit and Remuneration Committees. George brings outstanding commercial and governance experience from more than 30 years of international business experience in the fast-moving consumer goods and telecommunications industries, as well as a strong background in occupational health and safety.
Julie Bohnenn - Independent Director
Julie is an experienced Director and Business Advisor with expertise across agriculture, retail, health, leisure and corporate travel, and wealth management sectors. She joined the Board in March 2025 and is Chair of the Audit Committee. Julie is a Fellow Chartered Accountant with a proven track record as both a Chair and Audit & Risk Chair. Julie has extensive experience in business restructuring, market disruption, mergers & acquisitions, stakeholder engagement, regulatory compliance and project governance. Her current board roles are with Farmlands Co-operative Society (Chair of Audit and Risk), Forte Health Group, Reform Radiology and Moana Heights. Previously she has held board positions with J Ballantyne (Chair) and House of Travel Group (Executive Director).
Trevor Burt - Independent Director
Trevor was appointed a Director in March 2025 and has significant experience leading large and complex corporate organisations, and a proven record of implementing change and achieving results. He is Chair of the People and Performance Committee and a member of the Audit Committee. Trevor has held significant executive roles in the global industrial gas sector in Australia, China, the USA and Germany. He currently sits on the boards of New Zealand Lamb Company (Chair), Market Gardeners, Landpower NZ, NZ Drinks and Hossack Station. Previously, Trevor has been a board member of MHM Automation (Chair), Ngāi Tahu Holdings Corporation (Chair), Lyttelton Port (Chair), PGG Wrightson (Deputy Chair), Silver Fern Farms and Mainpower NZ (Director).
Murray Dyer - Independent Director
Murray was appointed to the Board in March 2025 and is a member of the People and Performance Committee. He has 30 years of agribusiness, energy and international trade experience. Murray’s career started in the wool industry with Reid Farmers, has included executive and director roles in textile trading and co-founding an energy and commodity services business in London. Murray founded and was Managing Director of Simply Energy. Murray is a shareholder and director of Utility Data Services and an investor in agritech. He is a Chartered Member of the Institute of Directors, a graduate of the Kellogg Rural Leaders Program and completed an MIT Sloan Management Executive program on AI.
John Rae - Independent Director
John joined the Board in July 2015. Since then, he has at various times been Deputy Chair of the Board and also Chair of both the Audit and Remuneration Committees. John is currently a member of the People and Performance Committee. John has degrees in both law and commerce and had a successful international career as a CEO in the finance sector, which has evolved into becoming an experienced chair and director across a range of industries over the past 30 years. His specialisation is in governance of entities facing challenging situations and transformations, and shareholder transition and succession.
Grant Biel - Director Emeritus
Our inaugural Director Emeritus Grant Biel is a pivotal player in Bremworth’s history. With employment at Bremworth dating back to 1964, his passion for mechanical engineering was established early. Co-founding Cavalier Carpets alongside Tony Timpson, Grant and Tony would go on to acquire the original Bremworth business, creating the dream team in the carpet sector. The deep expertise and heritage created by Grant and Tony are invaluable to the history and future of Bremworth.