Tauranga's Mike Chapman has been appointed to the role of chief executive for Horticulture New Zealand.

Currently CEO with New Zealand Kiwifruit Growers Inc, he will take up his new position on January 18 next year, Horticulture New Zealand president Julian Raine has announced.

Mike Chapman is the new of chief executive of Horticulture New Zealand. Photo: Supplied.

Mike has been CEO for NZKGI since June 2005 and is interim chair of the industry's National Labour Governance Group.

He also serves on a number of kiwifruit industry committees and is a Bay of Plenty Polytechnic councillor.

Mike trained as a lawyer, and previous appointments include Defence Force Solicitor as part of his career in the Royal NZ Navy, Chief Counsel at the Commerce Commission, Professional Standards Director for the Auckland District Law Society and Chief Executive of Kiwifruit NZ.

From working for a single product group, Mike's new role will involve growers from every aspect of New Zealand's diverse horticultural industry.

He replaces long-serving HortNZ CEO Peter Silcock, who has worked for grower representative organisations for 30 years and is now in the CEO role at Civil Contractors NZ.

HortNZ's key objectives include providing a unifying vision for the horticulture sector, which increases collaboration between product, sector, regional and district groups and enhances the sector's ability to respond to and influence decisions that affect it.