Executive Member Profiles

Brendan was elected BIANZ President in June 2010 after serving two terms as an executive member of BIANZ.

Brendan’s family has links into the baking trade from way back and his parents even met years ago over a smoky donut fryer in one of his great-uncle’s bakeries.  An opportunity to come back to NZ and eventually take over the family business saw Brendan and his young family arrive back in Dunedin from the UK in late 2006.  Although a big change from the IT game, Brendan has a passion for baking and taking an innovative approach to the business of feeding people’s desire for the good things in life. 

Brendan enjoys inspiring his staff to be the best that they can be and this year is actively encouraging them to become involved in the industry competitions to find NZ’s best pie and best bakery.  This will help to ensure constant innovation and high quality standards within the team.  This behaviour also allows Brendan to teach them about the commercial realities of the business as a given products cost, commercial appeal and profit are balanced.

Brendan still has much to learn in the industry and loves the networking opportunities that come with active BIANZ membership.

Michael has been involved in his family’s business ever since he could climb on a box to reach the bakery bench. The business was originally established by his father in 1975. Having been bred into the industry he has an amazing passion for everything to do with baking and the baking industry, including networking and travelling the globe in search of new ideas. He happily enjoys the hours it takes to produce some of the best baked goods while successfully leading the team in the business.

Michael has developed great relationships with all suppliers to the baking industry and this is important in his work on the executive as his portfolio includes being Vice President and responsibility for the BIANZ Buying Partners. Michael is knowledgeable and approachable and is always looking for ways to help people as well as to take the Association and the industry forward.

Mike says, “When I am asked that infamous question “what do you do for a job?”, I am proud to say I am a Baker.I have been baking since leaving school at the end of 1979, completing a Cake and Pastry Cooking Apprenticeship and Trade Certificate at Maldon Bakery in Christchurch. My wife and I are the current owners of Hillmorton Bakery coming up to our 24th year in business.

Over the years I have learnt many things about our trade from the baking to the business. It is the experiences that I have had over these years that drive me to be on the BIANZ executive, passing on what I know to benefit the industry and the association members.I am also a Bakery Tutor at the School of Food and Hospitality at CPIT, a position I have held for the past 16 years. Recently my role has changed from solely teaching baking to Enterprise Manager of the School of Food and Hospitality."

All of us within the baking industry come with a passion borne from some distant memory. Whether it be that smell of fresh bread baking or in David’s case, the free kitchener bun presented to a hungry school boy after a lengthy tour through a local plant bakery.  David has been involved in the baking industry for over 30 years.  He completed his apprenticeship in 1983 with a Trade Certificate qualification in bread baking from the Regency Park School of Food and Catering in Adelaide, South Australia. 

David spent many years travelling throughout Australia before settling in Christchurch in 1992 to raise our next generation of bakers. Over the years he has been extremely fortunate to work for, and with, some great people and iconic companies, namely Goodman Fielder, Ernest Adams, Arnott’s then through supermarket bakeries before eventually branching out for himself in a small suburban bakery. He is now involved with Coupland’s Bakeries as General Manager of Operations where he is able to combine all the training and experience he has gathered over a lengthy career from within the baking industry. David looks forward to being able to pass on some of this experience, and also to working with the BIANZ executive to help promote and advance this wonderful industry.

Thomas is a second generation baker and, like many of the current executive, he grew up in the family business. The Windmill Quality Cake Shop has now been going for over 40 years.Thomas and his wife Mary own and operate the shop in Paraparaumu. Thomas has achieved a lot with his career as a baker and has won many awards. He now feels it is time to give something back to the industry.

Thomas is very passionate about apprentices and training and would love to see more young people take up the opportunity. He really enjoys it when his apprentices grasp a new concept and he sees the light go on when they finally get it!