Michele Allan

Meat & Livestock Australia chair Michele Allan has resigned as a director of listed rural services provider, Ruralco Holdings Ltd, due to a conflicting business interest, the Australian Stock Exchange was advised by Ruralco in a statement on Saturday.

Dr Allan, who joined the Rural board in March, 2012, chairs the board of Meat and Livestock Australia. She was elected to the MLA board in 2011, and became chairman in September last year, on the resignation of Robert Anderson. She successfully re-contested her MLA board seat at last year’s AGM.

Ruralco chairman Richard England said Ms Allan’s departure was effective immediately, and he thanked her for her contribution.

The Ruralco board has appointed executive recruitment firm Hattoneale to start an external search for a replacement independent non-executive director.

Dr Allan is a past executive director and non-executive director of Patties Foods and was previously a non-executive director of the Dairy Research & Development Corporation and Food Standards Australia and New Zealand.

Her other current board positions include Innovation Australia and Forest and Wood Products Australia. She also chairs the William Angliss Institute and Grains and Legumes Nutritional Council, the Grape and Wine Research and Development Corporation, Innovation Australia, CallaghanInnovation, CRC Hearing and Tasmanian Irrigation Pty Ltd.

Ruralco will confirm its half-year results to the Australian Stock Exchange tomorrow.