There has been a changing of the guard in the management of VOG, the Consortium of South Tyrolean Fruit Growers’ Cooperatives, which brings together almost 5,000 members specialized in apple production. At the “House of Apples” in Terlano, Gerhard Dichgans, who has been CEO of the VOG Consortium for 29 years, officially “passed the torch” to the new CEO, Walter Pardatscher.
The change formally took place on 1 August, at the start of the new sales season, and the handover was in fact decided last autumn, following a selection process by the Consortium’s top management. Dichgans will continue to oversee several projects for the Alto Adige Variety Innovation Consortium on behalf of VI.P Val Venosta and VOG in Terlano.
A determined, stubborn man with a deep knowledge of the sector and markets, Dichgans, who was born in 1952 and graduated in economics from the University of Fribourg, joined the large VOG family in 1985, first as an export manager then as Head of Sales, before his appointment as the Consortium’s CEO in 1990. During his time as CEO, he led major changes in the Consortium in terms of organization, assortment modernization, turnover growth and development of new markets. For the members of the Consortium, he always represented an important point of reference, partly thanks to his ability to work as a team player and to keep the management focused on strategic objectives. He was responsible for the introduction of the Marlene® brand with its unmistakable “blue sticker”, which distinguishes the quality of South Tyrol - Südtirol apples for all consumers.
The new CEO, Walter Pardatscher, aged 48, has been mainly known until now as chairman and CEO of Autostrada del Brennero S.p.A. He attended the Agricultural Institute of Ora and subsequently graduated from the University of Trento and University of Innsbruck.
Pardatscher states: “The steps taken in recent years by Gerhard Dichgans for the development of VOG show us the direction for the coming years,” comments Pardatscher. “We will have to steer towards the future with renewed energy, unity and determination. We will continue to develop new varieties and to search for new markets and we expect to achieve major milestones in this direction within the next two years. It will be important for us to maintain this approach, while simultaneously looking to the many long-term challenges that lie ahead. There will inevitably be difficulties, but I am convinced that, partly thanks to the collaboration of all my staff, the VOG Consortium will continue to grow in the apple sector.”
For more information:
Sabine Oberhollenzer
VOG
Tel: +39 0471 256722
Email: [email protected]
www.vog.it/en
