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People on the Move: Appointments, retirements, achievements

Jon Condon 15/08/2024

Beef Central publishes an occasional summary of appointments, departures and achievements occurring across the red meat and livestock supply chain. Send details for entries to admin@beefcentral.com

  • New chair coming for Meat & Livestock Australia
  • Woolies Supermarkets MD moves on
  • Stuart Austin finishes with Wilmot Cattle Co
  • APVMA makes CEO, board appointments
  • Water specialist joins Colliers
  • ABRI chair and MD hand over reins
  • New Executive officer for Agribusiness Australia
  • Precision Pastures adds to strategic leadership
  • Eco-Markets Australia appoints interim chair

 

New chair coming for Meat & Livestock Australia

Meat & Livestock Australia directors will elect a new chair at year’s end, following the decision by current chairman Alan Beckett not to stand for a board seat for another three years.

Alan beckett

An economist and financial by trade, Mr Beckett has sat on the red meat industry service delivery company’s board since 2014, becoming chair following the retirement of Michele Allan in 2019.

His current three-year term comes to a close at this year’s annual general meeting taking place at a location yet to be announced in the week commencing 19 November.

Mr Beckett runs an Angus breeding and backgrounding operation near Yea, Victoria. He spent his working career with a major professional services firm, practising in the area of audit and corporate services to large companies with an emphasis on listed public companies. He also had practical experience in doing business in Oceania, South-East Asia, China, Japan and India.

In line with the MLA constitution, the chair is elected by the incoming board of directors, following the AGM.

Woolies Supermarkets MD steps down

Woolworths Group has announced the resignation of managing director of Woolworths Supermarkets, Natalie Davis, who leaves the retail world to head Ramsay Health Care.

Natalie Davis

Ms Davis joined Woolworths Group in 2015, initially as director of Customer Transformation for the Australian Food business before becoming the Group’s chief transformation officer. She spent two years as managing director of Woolworths New Zealand before returning to Australia in 2020 to head the Australian supermarkets division.

“Natalie has played a key role in the transformation of Woolworths Group and Woolworths Supermarkets in Australia and NZ,” Woolworths group CEO, Brad Banducci said.

Ms Davis continues in her current role until the end of September with a recruitment process for her replacement already underway.

Her departure follows the exit of Woolworths managing director and Group CEO Brad Banducci, who, as announced earlier this year, departs the company next month after 13 years with Woolworths Group, including eight years as Group CEO.

His replacement as managing director and Group CEO Amanda Bardwell, starts in her new job on 1 September, following the release of the Group’s 2024 financial year results.

Stuart Austin finishes with Wilmot Cattle Co

Progressive and innovative beef producer Stuart Austin has finished his role as the managing director of Wilmot Cattle Co after eight years in the organisation, based in northern NSW.

Stuart Austin

Mr Austin has become well known in recent years for his work with Wilmot, particularly his efforts to develop a market for soil carbon. He was managing the company when it made a highly publicised deal with Microsoft to sell soil carbon credits under a scheme in the United States.

Since the Microsoft deal in 2019, the company has purchased two more properties and started soil carbon projects under the Australian system. Wilmot has also started a beef brand and an annual field day under his management.

Mr Austin took to social media this week to say he was remaining open minded to future opportunities.

Wilmot owner and chair of Macdoch Australia Alasdair Macleod said on LinkedIn today that the operations management will be taken over by Impact Ag Partners, which is also part of the Macdoch network.

Impact Ag helped broker the soil carbon deal and works in management roles for several properties in Australia and the United States – including Rupert Murdoch’s Beaverhead ranch in Montana, which he purchased in 2022.

APVMA makes CEO, board appointments

Scott Hansen

Farmers, consumers and chemical users can be assured of the stable and secure future of the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority after a new chief executive officer and board chair were announced recently.

The Federal Government has appointed Dr Catherine Ainsworth as APVMA board chair for the next four years. At the same time, the APVMA board has appointed Scott Hansen as the regulatory body’s new chief executive officer for a five-year term. He took up the role in late July.

The APVMA is the Australian Government regulator of agricultural and veterinary chemical products, established in 1993 to centralise the registration of all such products into the Australian marketplace. Its purpose is to regulate agricultural and veterinary chemicals to manage the risks of pests and diseases for the Australian community and to protect Australia’s trade and the health and safety of people, animals, and the environment.

Dr Ainsworth has significant experience in corporate governance, risk management, regulatory matters, financial management, agriculture and public health. She has extensive experience in administration and board roles, as the former director of Racing Analytical Services, and the director and deputy chair of Harness Racing Victoria and the Royal Agricultural Society of Victoria.

Mr Hansen was selected by the board as the best candidate for CEO following a merit-based selection process.

He is a former director general of NSW DPI and managing director of Meat & Livestock Australia.

“Mr Hansen is an experienced leader with more than three decades of experience in managing large and complex organisations in primary industries. He also has a strong track record in driving innovation and culture change to lift performance,” the Federal Government said in a statement.

The new appointments were a sign of positive reform with the APVMA, the statement said. “The APVMA needs to be strong, well-functioning and orderly so our farmers, consumers, and overseas customers can be assured that we have the world’s best chemical regulator,” it said.

Vale Pak Toni Wibowo

The Indonesian and Australian cattle communities are mourning the loss of respected trade identity Toni Wibowo, a long time-director of major Indonesian cattle importing and lot feeding company PT Lembu Jantan Perkasa Group. Pak Toni, who was well known to all Australian exporters, died recently after a battle with cancer. His funeral was held in Jakarta on Tuesday.  PT Lembu Jantan Perkasa Group is an Indonesian cattle breeding, fattening and trading company established in 1990, owned by president director Joyce Gunawan.

Water specialist joins Colliers

Matthew Tolmachoff

In recognition of the critical importance of water resources in agriculture, specialist rural property agency Colliers International has appointed a new associate director in the field of water Advisory & transaction services.

Matthew Tolmachoff joins the company with more than 35 years experience in the area of water and land transactions,

For the past five years he ran his own consultancy and agency, Tolnackoff Enterprises, specialising in water rights trading and strategy, out of Adelaide. He has also led representation of clients negotiating and tendering water license sales to the Australian Government and acted as a Buyer’s Agent for agri-investment funds. Prior to that he was manager of Waterfind’s Strategic Water Division for the US and Australia, and was head of brokerage for Grain Brokers Australia.

ABRI chair and MD hand over reins

Agricultural Business Research Institute chairman Ian Locke and managing director Hugh Nivison have departed the organisation, after more than three decades of service between them.

Dr Hugh Nivison

ABRI board member Angela Schuster is ABRI’s new chair, while experienced agribusiness leader and current ABRI chief financial officer Anita Kauffmann takes over as the new ABRI managing director, driving ABRI’s focus on strengthening its market position into the future.

Initially conceived in 1970 by founder Arthur Rickards as a technology transfer unit within the University of New England, ABRI has made a bold leap forward in advancing agricultural innovation, especially in livestock industries. For more than 50 years, ABRI has specialised in delivering Australia’s beef cattle quantitative genetics evaluation service, BreedPlan, and technology-driven agribusiness information services.

Mr Locke joined the ABRI board in 2002, serving as its chair since 2014. He also held positions on MLA’s BreedPlan and Sheep Genetics Technical committees. Ian is managing partner of Wirruna Poll Hereford Stud in Holbrook, southern NSW with more than 30 years’ experience as a beef producer, a background in agricultural business and a degree in agricultural economics.

He will continue to serve as an ABRI Board member but said he looked forward to a new chair having the opportunity to oversee the next chapter of one of Australia’s most valuable agribusiness institutions.

A sheep and cattle producer from Walcha NSW with an agricultural investment industry background, Hugh Nivison joined ABRI as its managing director in 2015 and has led the organisation through a period of immense technology change and challenge for the agribusiness sector and in a dynamic global market context.

“I am immensely proud of ABRI’s work and believe the pace of technology presents exciting opportunities for ABRI to be at the forefront of innovation in genetic technologies,” he said.

Board member Angela Schuster has been appointed as ABRI’s new chair.

Her expertise spans strategy, planning and governance, and she has served on the ABRI Board for four years. Angela brings to the role of Chair a focus on developing strategies that align with stakeholder priorities and evidence-based decision making to oversee the organisation as it evolves alongside the dynamic demands of the agribusiness sector. With more than three decades experience in innovation-led projects to drive progress and shape industry standards, Angela has also served on several international and national forums, including as the Australian representative to the International Organisation for Standardisation’s  strategic advisory group on Smart Farming.

The Board has appointed current ABRI CFO Anita Kauffmann as managing director. She has had significant commercial experience, particularly from the national and international red meat sector. A chartered accountant, former University of New England CFO currently working in this capacity with ABRI, and with extensive experience across a broad and diverse range of industries, Anita also serves on a number of committees and boards.

New Executive officer for Agribusiness Australia

Tori Salvatore has been appointed Executive Officer of industry networking group, Agribusiness Australia, which is active in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Adelaide markets with regular gatherings.

Ms Salvatore joined AA from Elders, where she served as an executive assistant for the past five years, bringing with her a wealth of experience in administration and operations.

Her tenure at Elders was marked by her exceptional organisational skills and commitment to driving operational excellence. She said she looked forward to leveraging her skills to contribute to Agribusiness Australia’s mission and vision.

Precision Pastures adds to strategic leadership

New England-based soil, pasture and carbon agronomy business Precision Pastures has appointed two independent advisors – long-term state politician Adam Marshall and sustainable agriculture advocate Olivia Lawson of Paringa Livestock.

The strategic move underscores the company’s commitment to advancing agricultural practices through soil, pasture and carbon farming initiatives.

The new advisors bring professional expertise, both with extensive experience in agriculture, policy, sustainability, and business strategy. They will provide strategic guidance and support as Precision Pastures continues to develop and implement its solutions designed to optimise pasture management and enhance farm productivity.

Precision Pastures provides soil testing and agronomic advice to Australian farmers and the wider agricultural industry, specialising in end-to-end soil carbon services for soil carbon projects. It uses the latest GPS and spatial technology to help maximise production potential, including soil zone mapping, digital mapping surveys, electromagnetic soil surveys and core soil sampling and testing.

Company executive director and CEO Hamish Webb said the two distinguished leaders were welcomed into the fold.

“Their experience and insights will be invaluable as we strive to enable more Australian primary producers to harness opportunities in soil, pasture and carbon,” Mr Webb said.

Mr Marshall is a renowned former politician having represented the Northern Tablelands as a member of The Nationals. He previously served as the state Minister for Agriculture, Minister for Western NSW, Minister for Tourism and Major Events and the Assistant Minister for Skills. With more than two decades of experience in State and Local politics, Mr Marshall has a deep knowledge of agricultural policy and maintains his commitment to driving meaningful change in regional Australia.

“What Precision Pastures is doing in this space is tremendous and the company’s growth trajectory evidence that. It is an exciting time for both Precision Pastures and agriculture,” he said.

Ms Lawson is a strong advocate for a sustainable future in agriculture. For the past two decades she has partnered in a seed stock cattle business based in central Victoria, with a focus on ecology, holistic grazing systems and sustainable land management, while producing efficient, highly-productive genetics for beef producers across Australia.

Ms Lawson currently serves on the Board of Directors for Soils for Life and the North Central Catchment Management Authority.

“With a unique offering the business brings to the agricultural sector, Precision Pastures is well poised to play an important role in soil and pasture improvement, and carbon market access. I’m impressed with the outlook, strategy and execution thus far, and I’m looking forward to contributing and working with the team as it continues to grow,” Ms Lawson said.

The independent advisors will play a critical role in guiding Precision Pastures’ strategic initiatives, including the development of new services, expansion into new regions, and partnerships with key stakeholders in the agriculture sector. Their expertise will help steer the company towards achieving its mission of providing farmers with the tools they need to sustainably manage their pastures, improve overall farm productivity and participate in the soil carbon industry.

Eco-Markets Australia appoints interim chair

Eco-Markets Australia has appointed Wilfred Finn as interim chair of the Eco-Markets Australia Board, following Jo Sheppard’s departure.

One of the inaugural directors on the Eco-Markets Australia board for the past three years, Mr Finn steps into this leadership role at a pivotal time as Eco-Markets Australia solidifies its position as a leader in environmental markets.

With 20 years of experience in environmental law, Mr Finn has played a role in shaping Australia’s water, environmental, and carbon markets, working on the development of the nation’s water markets with the National Water Commission and involvement in the implementation of the Clean Energy Package and carbon price mechanism. He has provided strategic advice to both government entities and investors, guiding the establishment of robust environmental markets.

He is also a director of the Mulloon Institute, which promotes landscape rehydration and regenerative agriculture around Australia.

Mr Finn thanked Jo Sheppard, the inaugural Eco-Markets Australia chair, whose leadership was critical in establishing the body’s current stature and shaping the organisation into what it is today.

“I look forward to Jo’s continued involvement as a trusted advisor and friend of Eco-Markets Australia,” Mr Finn said.

Eco-Markets Australia has also recently expanded its board, with the addition of Rob Allen, Ros Baker, Professor John Cole, and Brett Spicer, which has infused new energy and expertise, bolstering Eco-Markets Australia’s capabilities for future growth.

“Given our role as Australia’s first independent environmental market administrator, we look forward to contributing to initiatives such as the Global Nature Positive Summit,” Mr Finn said.

“Eco-Markets Australia is uniquely positioned to drive real and measurable change through investment in tangible environmental outcomes,” Mr Finn said.

“The framework we’ve established—comprising rigorous standards and accounting methodologies, independent auditing, and a public registry—ensures that outcomes are not only measurable but also independently verified. This credibility positions Eco-Markets Australia to expand its role, administering broader biodiversity programs and emerging environmental markets across Australia,” he said.

 

 

 

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