The chief executive of Alliance Group, Willie Wiese, is to leave his role, only weeks after Waterford-based Dawn Meats completed its acquisition of a majority stake in the New Zealand-based meat processor.
Mr Weise has spent eight years with the company, with three as chief executive. Group chief executive at Dawn Meats Niall Browne will step in as acting chief executive at Alliance Group.
Chairman Tom Moran said Mr Wiese was leaving the company to “attend to some pressing family matters and focus on new opportunities”.
“Willie’s decision to step down follows an intensive two-year reset of the entire business, a pleasing return to profitability and the completion of a successful capital raise with Dawn Meats,” Mr Moran said.
RM Block
“I would like to thank Willie for his leadership and commitment in leading the significant turnaround of the company alongside the Alliance team and the support of the farmer-shareholders. I wish him every success in his future endeavours.”
Mr Wiese said it was the right time to leave and bring in new leadership to lead the next phase of growth.
“I’m proud of the hard work and support of the Alliance team and our farmer shareholders that has brought the company to this point, with the business now well positioned for the future,” he said.
Another huge corporate tax take to AI’s next phase: What’s in store for 2026?
“I am delighted to have Dawn as a partner in the Alliance joint venture and have full confidence that this will be a successful partnership for Dawn and farmer-shareholders.”
Dawn Meats completed a deal with Alliance in December that saw the Waterford group agree to pay 270 million New Zealand dollars (€133.4 million) for a 65 per cent shareholding.
Farmer-shareholders, who retain a 35 per cent stake in the business, also stood to benefit from a distribution of up to NZ$20 million in the initial financial year and up to NZ$20 million in the next financial year.
