Dairy SolutioNZ (NZ) Ltd will assemble the very best team possible to deliver agricultural developments that are right for the client. A key feature of our service is to offer a ‘best of breed’ solution – we don’t have preferred supplier contracts which could limit access to new and improved technologies. Instead we scope and choose the very best products and services to fit the agricultural need. Having said that, there are a core team of NZ suppliers who offer superior service and skills and can operate in a global context – we have established excellent working relationships with this core of companies and can swing a project into action very quickly as a result.

Derek is the CEO of Dairy (&Beef) Solutionz (NZ) Ltd specializing in the transfer and adaptation of NZ pasture based systems and technologies to tropical climates. Derek was the Chief Executive Officer of Waikato Innovation Park Ltd from 2003 to 2012 and had accountability for all aspects of the Waikato Innovation Park. Derek has led a number of key initiatives for WIP including Integrated Farm Management, facilitating the Ag Bio NZ Cluster and establishment of the NZFIW, NZs only independent product development powder drying factory. Derek has moved full time to CEO Solutionz. Prior to this role Derek was a specialist in asset management at Ernst & Young.

Peter was brought up with his parents and extended family in the rural Horowhenua township of Levin. He was influenced greatly by his elders from Ngatokowaru Marae at Hokio where his family spent a great deal of time fulfilling their whanau (family), hapu (sub-tribe) and Iwi (Tribe) obligations.

Educated at Horowhenua College, Peter left to complete a Carpentry apprenticeship after which he commenced an 18 year career with the Public Service working firstly with the Department of Social Welfare where he completed a Certificate in Counselling and a Diploma in Social Work at Victoria University and thereafter with the Department of Conservation.

Peter’s Maori cultural background enabled him to achieve senior management roles within both organisations working at the cross cultural interface developing relationships between those Government agencies and Iwi Maori.

Peter retired from the Public Service to enter the dairy industry in 1995 as an Assistant Herd Manager and has since this time gained valuable experience progressing through to Herd Management, Sharemilking, and Operations Management across the full range of low and high input dairy systems and herd sizes up to 2000 cows.

Nelson is responsible for coordinating the actions and resources to set up Colombian dairy farm projects and support other developments in overseas markets. He led from New Zealand (NZ) the implementation and conversion of the first Colombian NZ Inc. dairy farm with a capital investment of USD$2.5M. located in the high tropic using and adapting NZ dairy farming technologies, with the participation of contractors and suppliers of more than 8 NZ companies such as, Tru-Test Group, Ag Hub, Dairy Technology Services, LIC, Numedic, Read Industries, Gallagher, Iplex, Jove Valves, and Leask Engineering. The goal is to produce raw milk at internationally competitive costs while maintaining high quality, increase competitiveness, and make this economic activity profitable for dairy farmers in order to compete globally. Likewise, this project will be the first monitor dairy farm for Colombian dairy farmers.

Recently he worked closely with New Zealand (MPI) and Colombian (ICA) government agencies to establish Zoo-sanitary protocols for Livestock, Embryos In Vivo and In Vitro, and successfully achieved the signature of those, and the registration of origin of Semen (LIC) and Embryos (ABS), also he achieved the agreement of the Phytosanitary protocol signed by USA (USDA) and Colombia government (ICA) for Tifton 85.

Naveed is working as ICT Project Manager and is taking care of ICT projects initiated by the organization.

Naveed has over 21 years’ experience in computer software development industry specifically in business process evaluation & re-engineering, system analysis, architecture, development, deployment, support, integration, training, quality assurance, and customer services with the focus on providing the recipient with the highest quality software and IT products.

Naveed has developed and deployed software solutions in Telecom, health, dairy & agriculture, education, and supply & chain industry.

He is currently managing a project on field in conjunction with Corpoica, to implement a NZ style dairy farm in Colombia. The project is based around the efficiencies of producing milk from a grass based system.

His key responsibilities among others include, total system implementation, regrass the entire farm utilizing NZ rye grass and white clover, re-fence the entire farm with a permanent NZ style fencing system, implement a breeding plan with NZ genetics, oversee the construction and conversion of the dairy shed with NZ components, installation of a new water reticulation system providing fresh water to every paddock in troughs manufactured at the farm, implement an effluent management plan and install the effluent system, likewise liaise with the administration staff during the purchasing phase and an ongoing commitment to provide information back to the NZ office through regular skype meetings and reporting.