New Forest Industry Contractors Association CEO

The Forest Industry Contractors Association (FICA) has announced the appointment of Rowan Struthers as its new CEO. An experienced professional who has worked across the forestry sector in various roles including senior leadership and forest management, Struthers will take over the job from departing CEO Prue Younger who finishes up in March.

Having graduated from Canterbury University Forestry School, Struthers has more than 30 years of experience working in forestry. He has worked in most facets of the industry including silviculture, woodflow/supply chain management, harvesting, log trading, human resource management, sales and marketing of processed products, building supplies management, forest procurement, and general management.

He has held senior leadership roles in a diverse number of companies including Fletcher Challenge Forests, Umbraco (a privately owned building suppliers company managing multiple sites), Hancock/Manulife and, most recently, chief operations officer at China Forestry Group. He has also been a member of the NZFOA executive.

FICA chair Nick Tombleson said the FICA board was delighted to have Rowan on board: “Rowan has a huge amount of knowledge across so many parts of our industry. That will be of huge benefit to our forestry contractor members and we’re looking forward to drawing on his experience as we take FICA into the next period.”

Struthers said he was ready to take on the new challenge and would be focused on building a professional, efficient and sustainable contractor workforce: “Over the 30 years I have spent in the industry, a key part of my success has been the collaborative relationships I have been able to develop with contractors.

“A professional, efficient and sustainable contractor workforce is key to ensuring the long-term future of the NZ Forest Industry. I look forward to the challenge.”

This is supplied content and not commissioned or paid for by NBR.