The Team
Dairy Farm Investments Limited is owned by a small group of investors who are very passionate about the industry. The Board of Directors reflect this attitude and commitment:

Keith Jackson: Director / Chairman
Keith has an extensive background in management and governance with particular emphasis on the food industry.

Keith was CEO of Tegel Foods for 16 years from 1980 to 1996, and the founding Chairman of the Poultry Industry Association of NZ. He was Deputy Chairman of Ernest Adams prior to its acquisition by Goodman Fielder.

Outside DFI, Keith’s current active involvements include:
• Chairman of Cooks Food Group a listed food company.
• Chairman of Tasman Capital an Investment company.
• Chairman of TRS Investments Limited
• Chairman of sports technology company, Sportstec Limited.
• Chairman of technology company Adaptable Solutions
• Chairman of Unique Food Group.
• Director of Innovair Group.
• Member of NZTE Beachheads Advisory Board

Keith has a Bachelor of Commerce from Otago University. He is married to Trish and they have two adult daughters.

Eliot Cooper: Director / Farm Management
Eliot has had a lifetime of experience in the dairy industry. Married to Mary, with four children, he now farms both dairy and dry stock in the Manawatu and the Hawkes Bay.

Eliot holds directorships in several private companies and has had a lot of experience in the politics of Dairy Farming. Most recently he was on the executive of DFNZ. He still sits on many industry related committees to advocate on behalf of Farmers.

Eliot is very passionate about young motivated people obtaining farm ownership, and sees equity partnerships as an innovative way of achieving this, whilst involving urban investors in the thrill of rural land ownership.

Dean Bailey: Director (B Ag)
After completing a Bachelor in Agriculture Dean undertook large herd farm management for three years before starting a ten year career in Sharemilking for Landcorp Farming Ltd in the lower North Island of New Zealand. This led onto the next progression step with farm ownership of a 400 cow dairy unit in the Waikato with a very professional approach to progressive farming systems. Building relationships and industry knowledge has been a recent focus for Dean with national positions formally held with Dairy Farmers of New Zealand section of Federated Farmers and Operations manager with Ag Research development farm, Tokanui.

These positions have advanced Dean’s knowledge of the dairy industry enhancing very good understanding of the key drivers and opportunities that exist within the dairy industry.

Dean is married to Anna and is settled in Cambridge enjoying life with their three children on the family farm.

Dr Simon Barclay
Dr Simon Barclay trained as medical practitioner and has had a career in general practice, as a medico-legal consultant and as a medical consultant to the insurance industry. In a parallel business career he has a longstanding involvement in both an executive and a non-executive capacity with start up companies, and has been associated with the development of several highly successful businesses.

Most recently he was chairman of Innovair Ltd, which was sold to an American multinational.