Mr Cochrane is among 11 candidates for the Fonterra directors' election announced yesterday, after the completion of the candidate assessment panel process.
The other candidates are Blue Read, Donna Smit, Eric Ray, Grant Rowan, Jacqueline Rowarth, Jan Marten Kingma, Lachie Cameron, Michael Spaans and the two incumbent directors John Wilson and Nicola Shadbolt.
After completing a bachelor of commerce (finance) degree at the University of Otago, Mr Cochrane headed to London to start a career in currency trading.
He spent 11 years primarily in London, with stints in Zurich, Singapore, Tokyo and New York, working for various European and American banks.
He and his wife Andrea later decided to return to New Zealand to raise a family and to farm.
With 95% of the dairy payout determined by currency and commodity prices, Mr Cochrane believed the skills and experience he had were "both highly relevant and unique" in a farmer director.
He stood unsuccessfully in last year's director elections and was encouraged both by the support he received from farmers both then and now.
They recognised commercial skills were vital to maximise farm gate returns during such a volatile trading environment, he said.
The Cochrane family's farming operation spans three properties, totalling about 780ha, in South Otago and an equity investment in a large-scale dairy operation.
Mr and Mrs Cochrane moved to Dunedin, for their children's education, and leased out their farms.
"Our family has been privileged to enjoy prosperous times in our farming career. In large part, this is because of Fonterra's formation and success.
"For our children to enjoy the same opportunities we have benefited from, it is vital that Fonterra continues to be well governed by farmers with sound commercial experience," he said.
Mr Cochrane is also managing director of A.G. Foley Ltd, the South Island's largest plumbing firm, and an investor in and director of Oritain Global Ltd.
Prospective director candidates were interviewed by a panel comprising three independent appointments - chairman Bill Falconer, John Spencer and Elizabeth Hickey - along with Fonterra board representative Sir Henry van der Heyden and Shareholders' Council representative Ian Brown.
The results and candidate profiles will be sent to Fonterra shareholders with the voting papers on November 26.
Voting closes at 10.30am on December 15, the results to be announced at the annual meeting on December 17.
Shareholders will have an opportunity to meet director candidates and ask questions at a series of meetings in December.
In the South, meetings will be held at the South Otago Town and Country Club in Balclutha on December 7 at 11am, and at the Ascot Park Hotel in Invercargill at 4pm the same day.
