First female chief executive to head NZ Young Farmers

Date: 04.09.2018

Tech-savvy business leader Lynda Coppersmith has been appointed the top job at NZ Young Farmers

With a passion for the primary industries, Lynda Coppersmith makes history as NZ Young Farmers’ first female chief executive.

"If the primary industries is to meet its growth targets, it needs to do everything it can to connect with young women," Lynda says.  

"I’m hoping my appointment and having Ash-Leigh chairing our board will send a positive signal to women about our sector.

"The more CEOs we have who are women the better. Diversity is extremely important."

Lynda has spent the past six years in management positions at MYOB. Prior to that she worked for DairyNZ, was a business development manager for the Livestock Improvement Corporation (LIC), and an area manager for Fonterra in Timaru.

 "Lynda has great relationship building skills, excellent business acumen and experience dealing with grass roots farmer issues," NZ Young Farmers board chair Ash-Leigh Campbell says.

"That will stand her in good stead working with our membership base and the organisation’s other key stakeholders."

Lynda is married with two teenage children. Her daughter Sophie is excited about the new job.

"She goes to Christchurch Girls’ High School and has friends who are in the school’s TeenAg club, which is run by NZ Young Farmers," she said.

NZ Young Farmers has a network of almost 80 clubs, runs the iconic FMG Young Farmer of the Year contest, and works in schools to get students interested in career opportunities in the primary industries.

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