Global Dairy Platform is an international non-profit organisation that provides direction and drive to the dairy industry. Its members are leading dairy corporations, cooperatives and associations who are uniting to strengthen their interests around the world. Based in suburban Chicago in the United States, GDP is focused on sustaining and expanding global demand for milk and dairy products.

To reduce duplication and enhance the return on investment, GDP provides members with robust resources and information on a pre-competitive basis. The result is valuable insight, guidance and networking for a more coordinated and focused effort across regions to promote the dairy industry.

Background to GDP

Click here for more information on GDP's background

Vision

The global dairy industry has united to enhance the image of milk and dairy.

Mission

Objectives

• To enable more effective use of global pre-competitive research, as well as promotion resources and funds
• To successfully apply global communication concepts for generic campaigns
• To advise the dairy industry on taking effective regulatory positions
• To be viewed as a recognised source of information and coordination for the global dairy community

Strategies

• To enhance a positive image of milk and dairy
• To connect milk with a lifelong healthy diet and lifestyle
• To enhance the recognition of dairy protein as a valuable diet component
• To promote a fair and appropriate image of milk fat
• To improve the regulatory position of milk and dairy products
• To advance recognition of the product chain as sustainable and animal friendly
• To promote the perception of dairy products as natural, nutrient-dense foods

History

The time line shows the major Global Dairy Platform milestones since its inception.

Board of Directors

Andrew Ferrier
Chairman of the GDP Board
Chief Executive Officer
Fonterra

Jeremy Hill
Group Director, Technology
Fonterra

Toon van Hoijdonk
Vice Chairman of the GDP Board
Corporate Director, Research and Development/Quality Assurance
Campina

Rick Smith
Chief Executive Officer
Dairy Farmers of America

Peder Tuborgh
Chief Executive Officer
Arla Foods

Henrick Jorgen Andersen
Head of Technology Group
Arla Foods

Jay Waldvogel
Senior Vice President of Strategy
and International Development
Dairy Farmers of America
 
Jim Begg
President
International Dairy Federation



Global Dairy Platform Communication and Scientific Advisory Board

Guiding Global Dairy Platform is the Communication and Scientific Advisory Board, which consists of some of the world’s renowned scientists in health and nutrition from academia and the corporate world, as well as award-winning marketing and communication experts and authorities from the regulatory field. Meeting regularly, the Board provides direction on the scientific research, regulatory and marketing communication issues that GDP tackles on a worldwide basis. The GDP Communication and Scientific Advisory Board members include:

• Arne Vernon Astrup - International expert on the etiology and treatment of obesity
• Cédric Boehm - Business manager of Nestlé’s Chilled Dairy Strategic Business Unit
• Eric Doulat – Strategic regulatory affairs director at Danone
• Laurent-Bernard Fay – Department head of bioanalytical science at the Nestlé Research Center
• Cary Frye – Vice president of regulatory affairs at the International Dairy Foods Association
• Roger Hall – Regulatory and food assurance manager at Fonterra
• Shuichi Kaminogawa – International expert on milk proteins, lactic acid bacteria and immunological properties of dairy products
• Frans J. Kok - Nutrition authority and author of more than 250 original scientific publications
• Richard Lange - Award-winning marketing director at Dairy Australia
• Gregory Miller - Executive vice president of science and innovation at Dairy Management Inc. and one of the world’s leading dairy nutrition experts
• Thomas Sanders - An authority on the effects of diet on cardiovascular risk factors

Our Staff

Kevin Bellamy
GDP Executive Director

Kevin Bellamy brings extensive milk and dairy experience to his role as executive director of Global Dairy Platform. A native of the United Kingdom, he comes to GDP from the Milk Development Council, which is the official governmental organisation representing dairy in the United Kingdom. As the chief executive, Bellamy was responsible for the strategic direction of the organization through corporate governance and coordination of the board of directors. Previous to this role, he held the position of research and development manager at the Milk Development Council. Bellamy also had long-term involvement as a director of the UK Dairy Council.

Cindy Schweitzer
GDP Technical Director

Cindy Schweitzer, Ph.D., is GDP's technical director. She brings more than 20 years of experience in the food and supplement industries, including non-profit, ingredient and food service. Raised on a small dairy farm in northern Wisconsin in the United States, Dr. Schweitzer comes to GDP from the McDonald's Corporation, where she served as manager of global nutrition. There she made a major contribution to the creation of McDonald's global nutrition strategy, with considerable involvement with governmental and NGO diet/health regulatory guidelines and claims. Having earned a Ph.D. in human nutrition at Utah State University in Logan, she has extensive knowledge of global food regulations, as well as excellent contacts in academia.

Chris Portele
GDP Knowledge Manager

Chris Portele is skilled in project management, needs analysis, process improvement training and implementation of new technologies. She has worked for such companies as Synectics Inc., Affiliated Computer Services, W.W. Grainger and Joseph T. Ryerson. As a consultant, Portele assumed the lead role in managing a new intranet portal web site for the Library Information Resources Department at Abbott Laboratories, as well as worked as a project manager on various IT projects at Caremark, among other positions.

Cynthia Miller
GDP Executive Administrative Assistant

Cynthia Miller possesses strong overall office administration and organisational skills. Before her position with GDP, she worked at Dairy Management Inc. She also gained experience working for the administrative offices of municipalities in the greater Chicago area, among other jobs.