Fonterra China has announced the appointment of Philip Turner as the new Managing Director China.

Turner will assume the position when the current Managing Director China, Bob Major, retires from Fonterra after the conclusion of his contract at the end of May 2009.

Turner has been the Chief Operating Officer of Fonterra China since late last year and has built a good understanding of the China business over this time. Turner has recently held senior executive roles in Fonterra's global dairy trade business, based in Tokyo, and previously in strategy and in leading the company's government and trade team in Auckland.