Alastair Hulbert has resigned as CEO of New Zealand-based produce company T&G Global after 4.5 years in the role, with major BayWa shareholder Thomas Bargetzi stepping in as interim CEO while an international recruitment search takes place. 

Hulbert took on the role in June 2013 having previously worked as general manager of T&G subsidiary Delica. At the time the group was still coming to grips with what had been a rocky transition into the new management structure under German investors BayWa.

Alastair Hulbert

A series of significant changes have taken place since then, including the opening of a Shanghai office, aggressive plantings worldwide of T&G's proprietary apple varieties Envy and Jazz, deeper connections with North American partners Oppy, and a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with kiwifruit marketer Zespri in South East Asia.

The Zespri milestone is no less remarkable in light of the animosity that existed between T&G and Zespri prior to the BayWa buyout, and Hulbert was arguably an important contributor to the reconciliation process between these two major New Zealand produce companies. 

In the Southern Hemisphere, in addition to T&G's foray into Peruvian table grape production, the group has made big moves in Australia including an asparagus joint venture with M+G Vizzarri, an MoU with Montague Fresh and the gaining of exclusive commercialization rights for a portfolio of new blueberry varieties. 

Last year, Chinese group Golden Wing Mau - which has since become Joy Wing Mau through a merger with Joyvio - acquired a 20% stake in T&G Global.

In a release, chairman Professor Klaus. J. Lutz acknowledged the significant contribution Hulbert had made to the wider T&G group during his tenure and the global horticulture community.

Hulbert's resignation was effective as of Dec. 15.

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