Blog
Meet the Team - Americas
Our team of experts partner with customers to deliver quality dairy nutrition to the region
10 May 2023
4 min
#Blog #All Categories #North America #Latin America
About the Americas
Fonterra Americas is part of Fonterra’s greater Atlantic region. Owned by 9,000 farmers with decades of expertise in dairying, we are one of the largest dairy exporters in the world – shaping the industry in quality dairy solutions and disruptive, differentiated innovations.
The Americas region is home to NZMP, Nutiani as well as our joint venture CRT brands. Our team ranges in areas of expertise from Sales, Operations, Technical, Marketing, and more, so we're able to support our customers across our range of solutions. In addition to our team, we work hand in hand with a network of authorized resellers, who are trusted to sell NZMP ingredients.
With a laser-focused drive to deliver specialty ingredients, dairy solutions, and innovations to our partners and customers, our expansive region employs roughly 100 people with expertise in a variety of specialty functions. With employees in 2 countries and 4 cities, our diverse teams represent more than 11 different nationalities, which allows us to work and learn from one another to truly live our “Good Together” values while delivering on our strategic goals.
Meet our team of experts at NZMP Americas
Annabel Wood
HR Business Partner, Americas
Annabel has been integral in the development of people and culture over her 7-year tenure with Fonterra as the AMENA HR Consultant. She consistently proves her ability to work strategically and creatively to find solutions and has executed these solutions at pace to add real value across the business. As HR Business Partner, she leads key programs within the Americas region that focus on Leadership, Capability, and Culture, as well as working closely with leaders and teams to support our people to be at their best.
Annabel recently relocated to our Chicago office in October of 2022, where she continues to bring her bright spirit, and knowledge to the Americas region, supporting the growth of our people while they deliver against our strategic goals.
Richard Allen
President, Fonterra Americas & Europe
Richard started with Fonterra in 2008 and has held multiple roles across Fonterra’s global value chain. Most recently as Group Director of Farm Source, Richard led Fonterra’s on-farm engagement, environmental, and milk specialist teams alongside the Farm Source retail network.
Richard and his family lived in Shanghai leading Fonterra’s Foodservice business across Mainland China and Hong Kong. Richard recently joined us in the Americas as the President of Fonterra Americas & Europe.
He is a Co-Founder and Director of Snowball Effect, New Zealand’s leading online equity marketplace, taking an active interest in working with some of the country’s fastest-growing small businesses.
Elisa Giusti
Vice President of Marketing
Elisa joined the company in 2019 as Director of Foodservice Marketing, for our Anchor Food Professionals business in the US. In March 2020, Elisa was appointed as the VP of Marketing for the Americas, tasked with building a regionally enabled omni-channel marketing structure, designed to focus growth through a customer and consumer centric lens.
With over a decade of experience in the commercial food industry that spans Marketing, Innovation and New Business Development, Elisa's strategic aspirations and leadership is rooted in bringing value to our farmers by understanding the value for our customers and consumers.
Agustin Del Rio
Sales Director LATAM
Agustin is the Sales Director for LATAM. In his role, Agustin leads the team responsible for all Ingredients Sales in Latin America. He's an Industrial Engineer with +15 years experience in the Dairy Industry. Having joined Fonterra in 2014 moving to Mexico from Argentina, he enjoys working in an Industry that provides a positive impact to the world through superior nutrition for people of all ages and lifestyles.
He is confident about the bright future of the Dairy Industry in Latin America and how New Zealand can support that vision through Innovation and Sustainability. In his free time, he enjoys combining his passion for traveling with some of his hobbies like skydiving and freediving/scuba diving.
Annabel Wood
HR Business Partner, Americas
Annabel has been integral in the development of people and culture over her 7-year tenure with Fonterra as the AMENA HR Consultant. She consistently proves her ability to work strategically and creatively to find solutions and has executed these solutions at pace to add real value across the business. As HR Business Partner, she leads key programs within the Americas region that focus on Leadership, Capability, and Culture, as well as working closely with leaders and teams to support our people to be at their best.
Annabel recently relocated to our Chicago office in October of 2022, where she continues to bring her bright spirit, and knowledge to the Americas region, supporting the growth of our people while they deliver against our strategic goals.
Richard Allen
President, Fonterra Americas & Europe
Richard started with Fonterra in 2008 and has held multiple roles across Fonterra’s global value chain. Most recently as Group Director of Farm Source, Richard led Fonterra’s on-farm engagement, environmental, and milk specialist teams alongside the Farm Source retail network.
Richard and his family lived in Shanghai leading Fonterra’s Foodservice business across Mainland China and Hong Kong. Richard recently joined us in the Americas as the President of Fonterra Americas & Europe.
He is a Co-Founder and Director of Snowball Effect, New Zealand’s leading online equity marketplace, taking an active interest in working with some of the country’s fastest-growing small businesses.
Elisa Giusti
Vice President of Marketing
Elisa joined the company in 2019 as Director of Foodservice Marketing, for our Anchor Food Professionals business in the US. In March 2020, Elisa was appointed as the VP of Marketing for the Americas, tasked with building a regionally enabled omni-channel marketing structure, designed to focus growth through a customer and consumer centric lens.
With over a decade of experience in the commercial food industry that spans Marketing, Innovation and New Business Development, Elisa's strategic aspirations and leadership is rooted in bringing value to our farmers by understanding the value for our customers and consumers.
Agustin Del Rio
Sales Director LATAM
Agustin is the Sales Director for LATAM. In his role, Agustin leads the team responsible for all Ingredients Sales in Latin America. He's an Industrial Engineer with +15 years experience in the Dairy Industry. Having joined Fonterra in 2014 moving to Mexico from Argentina, he enjoys working in an Industry that provides a positive impact to the world through superior nutrition for people of all ages and lifestyles.
He is confident about the bright future of the Dairy Industry in Latin America and how New Zealand can support that vision through Innovation and Sustainability. In his free time, he enjoys combining his passion for traveling with some of his hobbies like skydiving and freediving/scuba diving.
Annabel Wood
HR Business Partner, Americas
Annabel has been integral in the development of people and culture over her 7-year tenure with Fonterra as the AMENA HR Consultant. She consistently proves her ability to work strategically and creatively to find solutions and has executed these solutions at pace to add real value across the business. As HR Business Partner, she leads key programs within the Americas region that focus on Leadership, Capability, and Culture, as well as working closely with leaders and teams to support our people to be at their best.
Annabel recently relocated to our Chicago office in October of 2022, where she continues to bring her bright spirit, and knowledge to the Americas region, supporting the growth of our people while they deliver against our strategic goals.
