DAIRY CONNECT ACCELERATES GROWTH WITH APPOINTMENT OF LYNN HARTE AS COMMERCIAL DIRECTOR
NEW LEADERSHIP APPOINTMENT SIGNALS THE NEXT PHASE OF GROWTH AHEAD OF OCTOBER LAUNCH
The dairy industry has never been short of organisations, events or publications. What it has often lacked is a platform capable of connecting them.
That challenge sits at the heart of Dairy Connect, a new industry platform bringing together media, events, intelligence, leadership and commercial collaboration across the UK and Irish dairy sectors.
Today, Dairy Connect announces the appointment of Lynn Harte as Commercial Director, effective from 1 June 2026, marking a significant milestone as the organisation moves towards its formal launch in London on 1 October.
The appointment comes at a time when the dairy sector faces a period of profound change. Consumer expectations are evolving. Protein and nutrition are reshaping product portfolios. Sustainability requirements continue to intensify. Technology and AI are beginning to alter how businesses gather intelligence and make decisions. At the same time, geopolitical uncertainty and market volatility continue to place pressure on every part of the value chain.
Against this backdrop, Dairy Connect has been quietly assembling a new model designed to support the industry through connection, collaboration and insight.
The business already sits behind a growing portfolio of initiatives including Dairy Mail, the International Cheese & Dairy Awards, the ICDA EXPO and Dairy Connect Ireland. Future developments will include enhanced market intelligence services, leadership forums, research programmes and new opportunities for industry networking and commercial engagement.
Steve Moncrieff, Managing Director of Dairy Connect, believes the industry is entering a period that demands new thinking.
"Dairy remains one of the most innovative and resilient sectors within food and drink, yet many of the conversations shaping its future remain fragmented. Dairy Connect has been created to bring those conversations together. Whether that is market intelligence, innovation, leadership, technology, processing, sustainability or commercial growth, our ambition is to create a platform that helps connect dairy's future.
Lynn's appointment is an important step in that journey. She brings deep sector knowledge, commercial expertise and strong relationships across the industry."
Industry delegates will have their first opportunity to meet Lynn Harte and the Dairy Connect team at the International Cheese & Dairy EXPO on 24–25 June at the Staffordshire County Showground. (internationalcheesedairyexpo.com)
The event, expected to attract more than 2,500 delegates and over 100 exhibitors, will provide an opportunity for Dairy Connect to share more of its plans before the official launch in October.
For Harte, the opportunity reflects both the challenges and opportunities facing the sector.
"The dairy industry is evolving rapidly. Businesses are looking for better connections, better intelligence and stronger opportunities to collaborate.
Dairy Connect has the potential to become an important platform that supports those ambitions across both the UK and Ireland. I am delighted to be joining at such an exciting stage in its development."
Looking beyond 2026, the organisation has already confirmed plans for the second Dairy Connect Ireland Forum in March 2027, building on the strong response to the inaugural event and further strengthening links between the UK and Irish dairy sectors.
The official Dairy Connect launch will take place in London on 1 October 2026.
The ambition is simple.
To create a connected industry platform capable of informing, challenging and supporting the businesses that will shape dairy's next decade.
For more information on Dairy Connect visit dairy-connect.com
Alternatively contact Lynn Harte at lynn@dairy-connect.com
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