Cotter will retire in early 2017 and the recruitment process was in its final stages in the past few days.

The outgoing chief executive recently outlined the challenges facing his successor, saying that growing Irish food exports from €11bn last year to the €19bn targeted in the FoodWise 2025 strategy would require aggressive expansion in new and existing markets alike.

More immediately, Bord Bia’s new chief executive will be tasked with navigating Brexit and currency exchange volatility, which is already affecting entire sectors, such as beef and mushroom production.

Stay tuned to farmersjournal.ie to find out who will be the next head of Bord Bia.