Pāmu chairman Dr Warren Parker – a highly respected leader of the primary sector industry – has passed away.

Mark Leslie, chief executive of Pāmu, Landcorp Farming Limited, paid tribute to Parker who had chaired the state-owned enterprise since January 2019.

“A great tree has fallen. Dr Warren Parker was a highly respected primary sector leader and as Pāmu board chairperson, he made significant contributions to our organisation over his five years of dedicated service.

”It was an honour for me to have had Warren as a lecturer at Massey University nearly 30 years ago and then work shoulder-to-shoulder with his guidance and support when I joined Pāmu as CEO just under two years ago.”

He said Parker would be remembered for his vision, wisdom, and experience as well as his kindness which together had ensured a strong culture and clear strategic path for the organisation.

Parker was a former chief executive of Scion (the NZ Forest Research Institute) and Landcare Research and was previously chief operating officer of AgResearch.

He held several board roles including on Predator Free 2050 Ltd, Farmlands Co-operative Society, Genomics Aotearoa and was the chair of the Forestry Ministerial Advisory Group.

He was also chair of the New Zealand Conservation Authority and recently appointed independent chair of Quayside Holdings.

Parker had a PhD in animal science and was previously a Professor of Agribusiness and Resource Management at Massey University, where he spent 18 years in various roles, including supervising the 9000-stock unit Riverside Farm in the Wairarapa.

”As we mourn Warren, we also work together to ensure continuity. Deputy chair Nigel Atherfold will step in as chairperson in the interim period,” Leslie said.

Parker passed away suddenly on December 29.