Expertise in southern and northern Australian beef production, and research & development are the core skills being sought this year, as the six month process to elect three board-members for Meat & Livestock Australia gets underway next week.

Advertisements appearing in the weekend press, and on Beef Central from Monday, will call for candidates to nominate for three non-executive director positions on the MLA board. The positions will be filled at MLA’s annual general meeting in November.

Directors completing their three-year board terms this year include chairman, Rob Anderson, and Lucinda Corrigan. A third director also re-elected at the 2010 AGM, Mike Carroll, who would have also completed his term this year, stood down 12 months ago, and was replaced as finance specialist by Christine Gilbertson.

Mr Anderson has already indicated to Beef Central that he intends to re-stand for a board position.

The board selection committee is at liberty to seek skills in board members where it sees greatest need, and is under no obligation to simply ‘duplicate’ the skill-sets of existing board members whose current terms are drawing to a close.

For board members to be elected later this year, the selection committee is seeking candidates with:

• Extensive commercial experience in Northern Australian beef production, with an understanding of the total supply chain and related industry issues
• Extensive commercial experience in Southern Australian beef production, with an understanding of the total supply chain and related industry issues
• Strategic R&D experience in the meat and livestock industry, with a focus on strategy, planning and delivery of R&D projects, with IP commercialisation experience highly regarded.

The selection committee makes the point, however, that candidates with other specialist skill-sets, including experience in international trade, are also encouraged to apply.

The core competencies being sought include:

• Professional experience in Australia’s red meat and livestock industry
• Strong business acumen, including sound financial literacy and an understanding of corporate governance, and
• Well-developed communication skills.

Given that CSIRO’s Dr Greg Harper was only re-elected for a second three-year term on the MLA board last year, the emphasis on R&D in the current selection criteria indicates that the selection committee sees a need to further strengthen the board’s capabilities in this area.

Board nominations will close on June 7, after which the selection committee will finalise a short list of candidates for interview. The selection committee will then put forward its three chosen candidates, for endorsement or rejection by MLA producer members at the MLA annual general meeting being held in Albury Wodonga on November 14.

Historically, calls for MLA board nomination have attracted more than 100-plus candidates, drawn from a wide cross-section of industry.

The MLA board’s role is to provide direction to the management of the producer-owned company, ensuring that appropriate performance goals are set and achieved, risk is properly managed, and the interests of industry participants and other stakeholders are taken into account.

Board responsibility includes strategic development and review of the company’s governance, financial performance and risk management.