Taylor would take up the reins from chief executive Rod Quin whose resignation takes effect from July 31.
Westland Milk chairman Matt O’Regan said the process to recruit a chief executive would not be complete before Quin’s final day so the board had agreed to establish the interim position.
The new position would ensure the continuity of effective management until a new chief executive was appointed.
“Brent’s (Taylor) skills will ensure there is continuity of our business strategy and ensures that any potential disruption between chief executive officers is kept to an absolute minimum,” O’Regan said.
Effective immediately, Taylor would work alongside Quin to ensure a smooth transition of management responsibilities and activities, come August 1.
Finding a new chief executive for a company the size of Westland, and with such an important international profile, should not be rushed, O’Regan said.
Westland was advertising globally.
“This takes a bit of time but the board is confident that Brent’s role as an interim managing director will ensure that Westland’s business strategies will continue without disruption,” he said.
Taylor was elected to the Westland Milk Products board as an independent director in 2014.
He has more than 40 years’ experience in the New Zealand dairy industry with a wide range of employers including the NZ Co-operative Dairy Company, East Tamaki Dairy Co-operative, the NZ Dairy Board and Fonterra.
He has held various roles within those companies including operations management, country manager and chief executive.
Since retiring from Fonterra in 2013, Taylor had concentrated on building a professional director portfolio providing consultancy services and involvement in private equity investment in NZ-based industrial companies.
