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"I’ve come quite a long way since I was in Fredericton,” said Andrew Ferrier.
When Ferrier began his business career at UNB, with a BBA degree in economics, he had no idea where his career would take him. Like most students he began from the bottom and worked his way up.
During his time at UNB, Ferrier was actively involved with UNB and in the community. Ferrier was a member of the Ski Patrol at Crabbe Mountain, as well as a life-guard at the UNB swimming pool, but that was not his passion. “My big love was rugby- I played for the UNB Ironmen for three years as a fly-half.”
Andrew's first real work experience occurred while he was still obtaining his BBA degree. Ferrier spent his summers working in the audit department at Touche Ross in Montreal. It was this experience that encouraged him to join Redpath Sugars after he graduated.
"I joined Redpath Sugars in Montreal in 1983 as a management trainee, and ultimately worked my way up to becoming President in 1994. During that time, I dealt with sugar suppliers from Australia, South Africa, Cuba, Brazil and other countries, and spent lot of time in New York and London.”
After an industrious 16 year long career in the sugar industry, Ferrier moved on to become CEO of GSW Inc., a Toronto based manufacturer that markets consumer durable products, including building products and water heaters. Though he spent a shorter length of time with GSW Inc., he saw the company through considerable growth and improved financial performance.
Ferrier’s strong performance and experience with Redpath Sugars and GSW Inc. impressed some corporate leaders in another part of the world, and lead to one of the most exciting and memorable stories of his professional career.
"My best story is receiving a call from a head hunter while I was happily working in Toronto [at GSW Inc.] and not looking for a new job, with the result ultimately being that I accepted the position of CEO at Fonterra and with my family moving to the other side of the world to live in New Zealand!”
Ferrier is still currently the CEO of Fonterra Co-operative Group Ltd. Fonterra is New Zealand’s largest company and the largest exporter of Dairy Products in the world with annual revenues of about $17 billion New Zealand dollars.
Fonterra was created in 2001 with the merger of New Zealand’s two largest dairy companies and the dairy board. The merger was the best option to put an end to the fierce competition between New Zealand's leading dairy companies.
The company is co-operatively owned by New Zealand dairy farmers, representing about 96 per cent of all dairy farmers in the country. Today Fonterra is recognised as one of the most successful co-operatives in the world and the world's sixth largest dairy company by turnover.
"I’ve had a great career and have been lucky to have seen most parts of the world in a very international career,” remarks Ferrier.
Ferrier credits UNB as providing him with the kind of knowledge that is essential to having a successful business career.
"I would say that the best thing I learned at UNB was to remain down to earth, be a team player, and to remember that as people we are all the same. Regardless of your position in a company, you need to be part of the team, not above it.”
Ferrier and his family haven’t forgotten about New Brunswick. “I loved Fredericton as a town and I loved the people at UNB. I have many great memories. I still get to New Brunswick for a week every year. My wife Danielle is from Dalhousie and it’s always great to be back in NB.”
As someone who has had a successful career as an executive, Ferrier has three bits of straightforward advice to students.
"First, always try to do better today than yesterday. When you are given a task, don’t just complete it, find out how to re-design it to make it more efficient the next time. Second, be a team player. No matter what your role you are part of the team and you must treat everyone with respect. And third, learn or improve your communication skills because these skills are critical for success.”
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