Former secretary general of the Department of Agriculture, Michael Dowling, will take the position of chairman with the Kerry Group from 1 January 2015.

Dowling, who has sat on the Kerry board since 1998, will take over from incumbent chairman Denis Buckley. Buckley announced his decision to retire from the board at the end of last week.

Dowling previously served as head of strategy with AIB was also chairman of Kerry’s audit committee. Former UCD president Dr Hugh Brady will take over from Dowling in this role.

As well as being a board member of the Agricultural Trust (the publishers of the Irish Farmers Journal), Dowling is on the board of the Irish Distillers, the Cork University Foundation and the Fairyhouse Club.