FORMER Australian Agricultural Company chief executive Hugh Killen has started the year in a new position, leading a New South Wales-based asset management company.

Mr Killen has started as the chief executive officer of Armidale-based Impact Ag Partners, which has more than 200,000ha under management across Queensland, NSW, Western Australia and in the United States.

Since finishing with AA Co in 2022, Mr Killen has become the chair of UK fund manager Climate Asset Management, leading a push to establish a foothold in the booming macadamia industry in Australia, and is a senior advisor for climate change investment firm Pollination.

In sharing an interview with Sky News about the new role on LinkedIn, Mr Killen said the company had significant growth plans.

“At IAP, we sincerely believe that agriculture is an integral part of the solution to addressing climate change and decarbonising the economy and that we can do this with balanced results for those who choose to invest capital in the journey alongside us,” he said.

“We have significant plans for growth in our home market in Australia, and the opportunity for us in the US will deliver growth and impact in the world’s largest economy.

“Over the past 12 months, I have had the privilege of working with some of the world’s global leaders in food and agriculture in the UK, Europe and the US, and I am looking forward to building on this in Australia with the Impact Ag team and the Australian agriculture industry more widely.”

Specialist environmental management

With its agricultural assets, Impact Ag specialises in tapping into the environmental markets and says it has generated $1m in soil carbon revenue on its website.

The company played a significant role in the sale of Australian soil carbon credits to Microsoft, advising the Wilmot Cattle Company on its soil carbon strategy.

Impact Ag has a close relationship with Rupert Murdoch, managing his Australian property Cavan Station, in New South Wales, and his Beaverhead ranch in Montana, which he purchased for US$285m in 2022.

Mr Killen is said to be taking over from the company’s founder Bert Glover, who has been working on Beaverhead and is focusing on the company’s US expansion.