Kokonut Pacific is entering a new chapter of leadership while continuing to honour its rich history and mission.

After many years of dedicated service, Richard Etherington has stepped aside as Managing Director to focus on his passion for sustainable development - including biochar, regenerative agriculture, and carbon sequestration through RCA Carbon. Richard will remain with the company in a Business Development capacity, leading our efforts in New Product Development (NPD) and marketing. We are grateful for his leadership and vision in guiding Kokonut Pacific through a pivotal period and look forward to his continued contributions.

At the same time, Peter Ehsman has resigned as Sales and Marketing Manager to pursue a new career path. Peter is completing a Master of Teaching to become a high school Mandarin teacher. He first began studying teaching more than a decade ago but, after becoming engaged with Kokonut Pacific and its mission, put it on hold to focus on his work with us. Over the past 13 years, he has played a key role in expanding our sales and marketing efforts, strengthening relationships with customers, and sharing our passion for ethical coconut products. We sincerely thank Peter for his dedication and wish him all the best in this new career.

With these changes, I am honoured to step into the role of Managing Director. My journey with Kokonut Pacific began in 1992, even before the company was founded. With a background in steel fabrication, I built the first Direct Micro Expelling (DME) equipment for our founder, Dr. Dan Etherington, before becoming Kokonut Pacific’s first full-time employee in 2003. Over nearly 22 years, I have served as Operations Manager and have been involved in all aspects of the business including manufacturing, inventory, HR, IT, and leadership. I have served as Chair of the Board since August 2024, and in stepping into the role of Managing Director, I look forward to continuing our mission of empowering coconut communities and strengthening our partnerships.

A key part of my journey has been actively supporting the development of Kokonut Pacific Solomon Islands (KPSI), which has been at the heart of our mission. I have made eight trips to KPSI over the years, most recently in October 2024 for their 20th anniversary, celebrating their impact and deepening our partnerships.

I have served as Chair of the Board since August 2024, and in stepping into the role of Managing Director, I look forward to continuing our mission of empowering coconut communities and strengthening our partnerships.

With my move to Managing Director, I have handed over the Chairmanship of the Board to Castaly Haddon, former General Manager of Kokonut Pacific and now a director. Her extensive experience and leadership will be invaluable as we move forward.

As we embark on this next chapter, we take a moment to reflect on our 30 years of service since our founding in November 1994. We honour the legacy of our founders, Dr. Dan and Maureen Etherington, whose pioneering vision continues to inspire us. Their work in the Solomon Islands changed countless lives, and we remain committed to carrying that mission forward.

Thank you for your continued support and partnership, we look forward to serving you into the future.

Ian Gray
Managing Director
1st March 2025

Read the PDF announcement with photos