Speakers

Mark Allen
Principal
The Fifth Estate

Mark has more than 25 years of executive experience in international agribusiness. He has held leadership roles with multinationals including Noble Group, Ecom Agroindustrial Corp, Colly International and one of the largest global commodity firms Glencore. He has managed food and agribusinesses with revenues of more than US$1 billion and multinational teams and operations in regions including the United States, Europe, Brazil and China.

Mark joined the The Fifth Estate as a Principal/Director in 2014, leading the consultancy’s food, agribusiness and agricommodities services. His work concentrates on engagements with institutional and large corporate clients assisting them to develop investment and corporate strategies; investment analysis; due diligence and commercial problem solving.

Mark has led project and development work in food and agricultural production in several geographies including Brazil, Africa, Australia, New Zealand and the USA including grains, proteins, dairy and fibres. In addition to agri-production related engagements, Mark has fronted agribusiness supply chain projects and asset related deals including storage and handling, processing and manufacturing and infrastructure. This has included project scoping, due diligence, project planning and the acquisition and operational pieces.

Marks expertise is summarised as having a deep knowledge of the international food, agribusiness and agri-commodity investment and commercial sector built on a foundation of hands on commercial experience across a wide variety of
geographies and enterprise categories. Mark’s academic qualifications include a Diploma of Irrigation Engineering from the Murrumbidgee Institute of Agriculture, Australia, Masters of Business Administration from the University of New England and a Post Graduate Diploma from INSEAD.


The Hon. Niall Blair
Minister for Primary Industries and Minister for Lands and Water
NSW Government

Niall is currently serving the government as Minister for Primary Industries, and Minister for Lands and Water.

Originally from Goulburn, Niall graduated from Hawkesbury Agricultural College with a Bachelor of Horticultural Science, and has completed a Masters in Occupational Health and Safety.
Niall was elected to the Legislative Council in 2011 and previously held the position of Parliamentary Secretary, until he was appointed as Minister for Primary Industries, Lands and Water in April 2015. Prior to entering politics, Niall worked in the private sector and owned his own consultancy and training business specialising in work safety.

Niall enjoys rugby, bee keeping and has completed two Ironman Triathlons.


Laurie Bonney
Associate Professor in Value Chain Innovation Research
University of Tasmania

Dr Laurie Bonney is the Associate Professor of Value Chain Innovation at Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture (TIA) in the University of Tasmania. He chairs the Global Value Chain Research Group, a collaborative multi-disciplinary research group of over 35 researchers at the University of Tasmania that develops integrated R&D solutions for the contemporary challenges in global food supply.

The group encompasses food production, new product innovation, food processing and food safety, traceability, logistics and ports, refrigeration and energy efficiency, strategic chain management and ITS, marketing innovation and remote sensing (big data). Laurie currently leads several value chain projects in Australia and has conducted value chain research in Canada, New Zealand, Vietnam, Laos Cambodia and PNG.


Luke Bowen
General Manager, Northern Australia Development
Northern Territory Government

Luke was born and raised on a mixed farm in Western Australia, educated in Perth and studied agriculture at Curtin University. In his early career he spent time shearing and working in the agriculture sector in Western Australia before travelling overseas to work in farming in Europe.
He then moved onto a role as a sales and marketing executive in the building and construction industry prior to spending 11 years with an Australian Government statutory authority. There he worked across Australia on land management and pastoral development on Indigenous land.

Between 2008 and 2014, Luke was the Executive Director, Northern Territory Cattlemen’s Association, the peak industry body representing the majority of the Northern Territory cattle industry. He was instrumental in advocating for members and providing support for the Northern Territory pastoral industry during the suspension of the live export trade. Luke is also a member of the Commonwealth Government’s Agriculture Industry Advisory Council.

In July 2014 Luke was appointed as General Manager, Northern Australia Development Office, within the Northern Territory Government. Under Luke’s guidance, the office will showcase and market the Northern Territory to prospective investors interested in the development of Northern Australia. The office will lead the implementation of emerging policies that will drive the development of the Northern Territory.


Lucy Brennan
National Rural Reporter
Macquarie Media

Lucy Brennan grew up in the Southern Highlands of NSW. Many members of her extended family are directly employed in the agricultural sector including family farm graziers, large company farm managers, cattle mustering teams in the Top End and professional managers employed in fertiliser and grain handling organisations. Lucy has grown up with a general exposure to many facets of the industry and has a passion for the contributions and sense of community of regional Australia.

After completing her communications degree at Charles Sturt Bathurst Campus, Lucy commenced her career as drive time talk back host with Bathurst Broadcasters, building a rapport with politicians, locals, industry and community leaders. Lucy’s passion for regional Australia was put into effect through her enthusiastic support and profiling of rural issues and challenges into the future.
Lucy moved to Sydney in 2014 to work for Macquarie Radio network initially as a journalist and most recently in her promotion as the National Rural Reporter. Lucy’s daily bulletins are streamed across over 50 stations as she reports on changes and issues impacting rural and regional Australia. She has a wide network for someone relatively new in the industry and is testimony to the trust and confidence bestowed.

Lucy Brennan is a young person with energy and passion for the future of agriculture and its role in Australia’s regional and national prosperity.


Kim Bryceson
Associate Dean
University of Queensland

Currently Kim is the Associate Dean Academic of the UQ Science Faculty with academic governance responsibility for the Schools of Agriculture and Food Science (SAFS), Veterinary Science and Geographical and Environmental Sciences at UQ. Additionally she is the Associate Professor of Agribusiness at the University of Queensland.

Early research involved developing and implementing computer and satellite technology for integrated pest management, drought monitoring, site specific management and agribusiness decision support system development with the Commonwealth and Qld State governments. Over the last 15 years in academe she has been involved in agrifood supply and value chain analysis domestically and internationally with particular focus on using various modelling tools to construct supply chain risk assessment and performance management scenarios.

She has not left her Remote Sensing roots behind however and she is the Director of the Agricultural Remote Sensing Laboratory at UQ’s Gatton campus where the collection of real time streaming Big Data through an Internet of Things infrastructure, plus the design, building and use of small drone technology and robotics for agricultural and environmental monitoring and sub-tropical agricultural research and teaching, is flourishing.


Tim Burrow
Chief Executive Officer
Agribusiness Association of Australia


James Campbell
Chief Executive Officer
Sanger

In August 2015, James commenced as Chief Executive Officer of Sanger, a Senior Executive role within the Bindaree Beef group.  This follows a 15-year professional career spanning Chartered Accounting (KPMG) and Institutional Banking (ANZ) with a consistent specialist focus on agricultural business.  Most recently, James led ANZ Institutional Agribusiness in China from 2011 – 2015 and was appointed a Director of the Australian Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai for 2 terms.  In previous roles, James has managed Institutional Banking portfolios in China, Victoria, Queensland & Northern Territory, and New South Wales. 

James is a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia and holds a double degree in Commerce (Accounting) and Business Administration from the University of Canberra. James was elected to the AMPC Board as a Processor Director in November 2015 and is a member of the Australian Processor Council under AMIC .


Darren De Bortoli
Managing Director
De Bortoli Wines

Third generation winemaker Darren De Bortoli is the Managing Director of De Bortoli Wines, one of Australia’s oldest and largest family owned wineries, renowned for its quality wines and sustainable vineyard practices. Headquartered in the Riverina, NSW, with estates also in the Hunter, Yarra and King Valleys and a strong presence in export markets, the company employs approximately 400 people worldwide.

The longest serving Managing Director among Australia’s Top 10 wine companies, Darren is passionate about water security and is actively involved in the current Senate Inquiry review of the Murray Darling Basin Plan. Committed to ensuring a future where great wine and a healthy environment can be enjoyed by everyone, Darren’s vision for De Bortoli Wines to become the Zero Waste Winery has seen the company win many accolades, most recently being recognised as an ABA100 Winner in The Australian Business Awards 2015 for Sustainability, a finalist in the 2015 Banksia Sustainability Awards and winner of the 2014 Green Globes Sustainability Award.

Darren is involved with many winemaking organisations including being the former Chairman of the NSW Wine Industry Association and the NSW Wine Industry Consultative Committee. He has also served on the Wine Industry Research & Development Consultative Committee to the NSW Minister for Primary Industries.


David EyreArgibusiness Outlook Australia 2016
General Manager, Research & Development
NSW Farmers

David Eyre is General Manager, Research & Development at NSW Farmers, where he leads digital innovation initiatives across precision agriculture, supply chain logistics, digital QA, product authentication and direct, paddock-to-plate marketing. He believes that rapid uptake of digital solutions is integral to building Australia's competitive advantage in export markets, offering productivity gains on farm and through the value chain. David was previously a Director of the Commonwealth Research & Development Corporation, Land and Water Australia, and has held senior strategy and information science roles in NSW Government in the areas of electronic service delivery, SCADA and integrated decision-support systems for sustainable natural resource management.


Mark Field
Head of Coles Brand
Coles

From a background in Red meat processing, Mark graduated with an MSc in Meat Animal Science from the University Of Bristol, England in 1993. Joining RWM Food Group (an integral part of the now Hilton Food Group), a major European Beef and Lamb Processor in a multi-site technical role held for 12 years. This was a particularly challenging period where the European retailers and Quick Service Restaurants moved into Centrally Packed Meat, lived through the challenges of BSE, Foot & mouth disease and the rapid investment into factories to support the growth and innovation demands of the European customers. Mark moved to Moy Park (Poultry) part of OSI Foods in 2005 to lead the technical integration following the acquisition of the UK second biggest poultry operation. Mark later joined 2 Sisters Food Group as they also accelerated into their acquisition phase as Group Technical Director covering sites in Europe and the start-up operation of Fresh & Easy in the USA .

Mark joined Coles Supermarket in Dec 2011, and is Head of Fresh Foods for Coles Brand.
Mark has held senior roles in EU projects on Meat Eating Quality, Retailer welfare Strategy groups, Campden & Chorleywood Meat & poultry Forum and most recently a founder member of the UK Biosecurity Working Group on Campylobacter. Some of the key Australian achievements include the delivery of Sow Stall free Pork, RSPCA approved chicken, use of sustainable palm oil and Responsibly Sourced Seafood.
Scientific papers published include Lack of Evidence for Stress being caused to Pigs Witnessing Slaughter of Conspecifics.


Fran Freeman
First Assistant Secretary, Agricultural Policy Division
Department of Agriculture and Water

Ms Fran Freeman is the First Assistant Secretary, Agricultural Policy Division for the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources, responsible for developing and coordinating policies aimed at improving the profitability, competitiveness and sustainability of Australia’s agricultural and food industries. Ms Freeman has previously held multiple senior roles in the portfolio including having responsibility for drought, biosecurity, trade, forestry policies and programs.

Ms Freeman has a bachelor degree in agricultural economics from the University of New England. Ms Freeman completed the Australian Rural Leadership Program in 2000 and has twice been named in Australia’s Top 100 Women in Agriculture.


Alicia Garden
Chief Executive Officer
GrainGrowers

Alicia was appointed Chief Executive Officer of GrainGrowers in August 2014. Alicia joined GrainGrowers in 2009, and most recently held the role of General Manager, Products and Services.
She holds degrees in Information Technology and Engineering from the Australian National University.


Hans Hendrischke
Professor of Chinese Business and Management
The University of Sydney

Hans Hendrischke is professor of Chinese business and management, University of Sydney Business School and chairs the Business and Economics Cluster of the China Studies Centre at the University of Sydney.
He was educated at universities in Germany, Taiwan and Japan and did postgraduate research at the Contemporary China Institute at the London School of Oriental and African Studies.

He lived in China from 1979 working for the diplomatic service and the finance industry. In his academic career he headed the Centre for Chinese Political Economy at Macquarie University, was head of Chinese Studies and head of school at UNSW and served as director of the University of Sydney Confucius Institute.
His main research focus and publications are on Chinese entrepreneurship and business institutions. As an institutional economist he has conducted hundreds of interviews with Chinese private entrepreneurs and local officials over the last decades.

Professor Hendrischke leads the Business School's Australia China Business Network and heads a multi-year strategic cooperation with KPMG which reports regularly on Chinese outbound direct investment in Australia and publishes thought leadership reports on Australia China business relations. His team has authored the 2014 Australia China Trade Report for the Australia China Business Council.


Nick Hickfordagribusiness outlook australia 2016 conference Sydney
General Manager, Marketing and Innovation
Bulla Dairy Foods

Nick Hickford, Bulla Dairy Foods General Manager – Sales, Marketing & Innovation heads the team driving innovation at this iconic Australian family owned company.

Nick has been tasked with driving this heritage Australian brand into exciting new markets and categories as well as driving new product development and growth.

Prior to joining Bulla, Nick was the CEO of Wilson Everard Advertising, establishing their strategic and digital offering and building on the agency’s strong reputation for retail marketing.

Nick also ran The Bridge Consulting Group for nine years, transitioning the consultancy into an advertising agency, working on brands including Woolmark, National Australia Bank, Dairy Australia, Murray Goulburn Dairy, Bulla Dairy Foods, SPC Fruit and Europcar.

His comprehensive experience, coupled with senior marketing roles at Berri Limited, Eveready Energizer Batteries and Sanitarium Australia makes Nick a fit appointment for Bulla.

After joining the business to execute the successful new masterbrand strategy, Nick has been influential in reshaping the business’ marketing and innovation agenda.

Bulla Dairy Foods is Australia's largest privately owned dairy company, having been owned and operated by the same three families for the last six generations.

With three Melbourne-based sites, Mulgrave, Derrimut and Dandenong, as well as two regional sites in Colac, Bulla Dairy Foods supports significant employment across Western Victoria.


Jay Horton
Visiting Fellow
The University of Sydney

Jay is the Founder and Managing Director of Strategis Partners. During his 25 year management consulting career he has advised a wide range of agri-food companies including Bannister Downs, Berri Juices, Coles, Cotton R&D Corporation, CSIRO, Goodman Fielder, Grain Growers Limited, McWilliams, SPC-Ardmona, Sugar Australia, Wesfarmers Limited and Woolworths.
Projects generally cover the following scope:

  • Growth Strategy and Program Reviews
  • Decision and Risk Analysis of Investments
  • Agri-Supply Chain Optimisation
  • Scenario Planning and Strategic Risk Management.

In December 2014, Strategis Partners convened the Symposium on the Future of Crop Insurance, which brought together over 60 experts, policy-makers and practitioners from all States of Australia to map out the future of Multi-Peril Crop Insurance in Australia.

Jay has worked with a broad range of commodity producers, and developed a thorough understanding of dairy, fruit, grains, sugar and wool industries.

Jay is a former Partner of PricewaterhouseCoopers in their Corporate Finance Practice, with international firm McKinsey & Company, and Managing Director of management consultancy ORG Pty Limited. At PwC, Jay established and led the Agribusiness Services for PwC’s Corporate Finance Practice, which advised clients on capital management and recovery, valuation and strategy, and M&A transactions.

His qualifications include Master of Economics (Australian National University), Master of Arts (The University of Sydney), Bachelor of Engineering (James Cook University), and Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.


Sarah Hyland
General Manager – Industry Services
Australian Institute of Food Science and Technology


Barry Irvin
Executive Chairman
Bega Cheese

After a period of time in the banking industry Barry returned to his dairy farming roots in the Bega Valley in the early 1990’s, and immediately became involved with the Bega Co-operative Society where he became Chairman in the year 2000. When Barry joined the business the Co-operative operated from a single manufacturing site, produced 3,500 tonne of cheddar cheese, sold only in the domestic market, and employed around 80 people in total.
While the Bega Co-operative has a long history stretching back to 1899, it is in the last 15 years that it has truly taken its place in the Australian dairy industry. 

The Bega Cheese group of companies now has domestic and international sales exceeding $1 billion, produces approximately 210,000 tonnes of cheeses, milk powders, infant formula and nutritional products, and exports to over 40 countries around the world. The group now employs approximately 1,700 people.
Barry Irvin has led the team that has built the Bega Cheese business, through acquisition and organic growth, and then cemented a number of long term key business relationships. Bega Cheese’s development strategy sees it firmly positioned in the top five dairy companies in Australia and is the largest listed dairy company on the ASX.

Barry has a long affinity with the dairy farmers supplying the company and a firm belief in the value of strategic vision and stability being enhanced through shareholders and staff sharing a long term history and corporate memory of the organisation. Barry equally believes in the importance of the encouragement of growth, and the development of new intellect within the business.

Social responsibility is something that Barry seeks to imbed in all organisations in which he is involved. Barry chairs the Sydney based Charity, Giant Steps, which provides services to children and young adults with Autism.
Barry was recently given the high honour of being made a member of the Order of Australia (AM) for his services to the dairy industry and children with disabilities, he was also named NAB Monash University Agribusiness Leader of the Year in 2009 and Rabobank Agribusiness Leader of the year in 2011.


David Keldie
General Manager Global Consumer Markets
SunRice

David Keldie is Head of Consumer Markets for SunRice, and a member of the company’s executive team. SunRice has revenues in excess of $1.3 billion and 2100 employees worldwide. SunRice is a leader in the supply and manufacture of rice based products. Through innovation, focus on quality and exceptional branding, SunRice is recognised as a leader in the retail, foodservice and industrial sectors in the Australian, New Zealand, South East Asia, the Pacific Islands and Middle East markets. David is responsible for driving global sales growth and continued market leadership by directing all sales and marketing strategies, overseeing consumer and customer marketing activities, advertising and innovation. David is responsible for ensuring SunRice's customer facing sales professionals understand and communicate the value SunRice brings to customers and business partners.

David has risen steadily through Senior Management ranks of SunRice since he joined the company in 2002. He began his career as National Sales Manager and shortly thereafter his responsibilities expanded to include Marketing. In 2002 he assumed General Management responsibility for Australia and New Zealand. Under David’s leadership SunRice’s consumer business has more than doubled revenues across the domestic and international markets. SunRice has been recognised through multiple industry awards for product innovation, advertising and market development.

David concurrently holds Directorships with the Rice Growers Board, PNG based subsidiary, Trukai and is also a director of the Aqaba Processing Co in Jordan and Sunshine rice in North Queensland.

Before joining SunRice David held senior management roles with the King Island Group. David holds a Bachelor of Arts Business and Economic Major from Sydney University and is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. He is based in SunRice’s Corporate Office in Sydney, Australia.


Quentin Kennedy
Managing Director
Kialla Pure Foods

Quentin grew up on a sheep and cattle station on the Diamantina River in Western Queensland. He managed the family property for ten years and then decided to go back to ‘school’ to complete a degree in Agribusiness at University of Queensland, Gatton College.  Upon graduating he was involved in live cattle exports and feed lotting, until moving into the organic industry as a business manager of Biological Farmers of Australia, a member owned organic certification and promotions body, in 2001. In 2006, the opportunity came up to buy Kialla Pure Foods, one of the main players in the organic grain milling industry in Australia.  

Kialla services the artisan and organic bakery, food manufacturing and retail industry as well as exporting into Asia. Quentin is an elected Director of Australian Organic Pty Ltd – the parent company of the largest certifier, Australian Certified Organic and has held this role for the past 11 years.


Mick Keogh
Agriculture Commissioner
Australian Competition and Consumer Commission

Mick Keogh was appointed as a Commissioner of the ACCC in February 2016 for a five year term.

The ACCC has established an Agriculture Enforcement and Engagement Unit that contains additional staff to conduct investigations and engagement in rural and regional areas with funding provided through the Agricultural Competitiveness White Paper.
Mick will play a key role in the work of the Agriculture Enforcement and Engagement Unit, which has been working to identify competition and fair trading issues in agriculture markets and engaging with a range of key industry groups. He will oversee the ACCC’s agriculture work program and will Chair the ACCC’s Agriculture Board and Agriculture Consultative Committee. Mick will also play a key decision making role on agriculture matters across the work of the ACCC.

Mick has a long and diverse history of involvement with the agriculture sector, which has included periods of employment as a farm manager, a university researcher, an agribusiness consultant and an agriculture policy advisor. In 2003 Mick was appointed Executive Director of the Australian Farm Institute, an independent policy research institute that conducts research into strategic policy issues of importance to Australian agriculture. Mick continues to undertake this role. 

In 2011 Mick was appointed Chairperson of the Australian Government panel which reviewed drought support measures. He was also Chairman of the Australian Government’s National Rural Advisory Council from 2012 to 2015. Additionally, Mick remains involved in family farming interests in southern NSW.

Mick was awarded the Order of Australia Medal for services to agriculture in 2015. He holds Bachelors and Masters degrees in Wool & Pastoral Sciences, both obtained at the University of New South Wales.


Steve McCutcheon
Chief Executive Officer
Food Standards Australia New Zealand

Mr Steve McCutcheon was appointed Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) in October 2007.  FSANZ is a bi-national statutory authority responsible for developing food standards in Australia and New Zealand. Mr McCutcheon is an ex officio member of the FSANZ Board

Prior to his appointment to FSANZ, Mr McCutcheon worked for 20 years with the Australian Government’s Department of Agriculture, including ten years (1997-2007) as a member of the Senior Executive Service.  During that time, he led the team that developed the current food regulatory framework for Australia and New Zealand.  He also led Australia’s contribution to the development of international food standards through the Codex Alimentarius Commission.

Mr McCutcheon has a Bachelor of Economics degree and has undertaken further studies in public law and public policy. He is a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and a non-executive director on the Board of Plant Health Australia Ltd.


Richard Norton
Managing Director
Meat & Livestock Australia

Richard Norton joined MLA as Managing Director in June 2014. The fifth generation of a beef and sheep farming family from Monaro NSW, Richard began his working life as a rouseabout and jackaroo. He has spent more than 20 years serving livestock producers as a stock agent and auctioneer across NSW, where he still farms beef. His drive to see Australian agribusiness thrive has led him to hold various executive positions, including Head of Live Export and International Trade and then Managing Director of Landmark Operations Australia, a subsidiary of Agrium Inc based in North America. In addition to roles in agribusiness, Richard has held executive positions in retail, manufacturing, logistics and warehousing with Woolworths, Coca Cola, Wesfarmers and Toll Holdings. Richard has an MBA from Monash University, and has held various Board positions including Agrium Asia Pacific, the Australian Wheat Board, RD1 New Zealand, Landmark Harcourts and Australian Wool Handlers. He was also Chairman of Integrated Traceability Solutions (Global) and AuctionsPlus.


Doug Rathbone
Chairman
Rathbone Wine Group

Doug Rathbone, Chairman of the Rathbone Wine Group, is an experienced public company director.

He is a director of Cotton Seed Distributors and AgBiTech and a member of the Rabobank Advisory Board.  He is also a former Board member of CSIRO. In early 2015, Doug stepped down as Managing Director and CEO of ASX listed company, Nufarm Limited. During his leadership of Nufarm, Doug successfully transformed the company from a small Australian business into one of the world's leading crop protection and seed companies, with operations throughout Asia, Europe and the Americas.

Doug is an honorary life governor of the Royal Children's Hospital and a former director of the Burnett Centre for Medical Research. Doug was named the Rabobank Agribusiness Leader of the Year in 1999 and was awarded a Centenary Medal in 2003 for outstanding service to science and technology. 

In the 2006 Queen’s Birthday honours, Doug was awarded a Member of the Order of Australia for service to the community, chemical engineering and viticulture. The Rathbone Wine Group is a family business which includes Victorian wineries Yering Station and Mount Langi Ghiran and Xanadu Winery in Western Australia.


Senator The Hon. Anne Ruston
Assistant Minister for Agriculture and Water Resources
Australian Government

Anne Ruston has been a Senator since September 2012.

In July 2014, Anne was elected Senior Deputy Government Whip in the Senate and chair of the Senate Environment and Communications Legislation Committee. She was also an active participant in the Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Committee, initiating inquiries into the Australian citrus and wine industries.

Senator Ruston was appointed Assistant Minister of Agriculture and Water Resources in September 2015.

Prior to becoming a Senator, Anne held several senior positions in government and the private sector, including senior policy adviser to the South Australian Minister for Industrial Affairs and Tourism, Recreation, Sport and Racing, and inaugural chief executive of the National Wine Centre.

Born and raised in Renmark—which is situated on the River Murray in South Australia's Riverland region—Anne is a proud member of the community where she still lives and works to this day. She is the only Senator for South Australia based in a regional area.

Anne is a primary producer and an irrigator, producing commercial cut flowers and implementing irrigation efficiencies on her property that reduced water use by more than 60%. She is a passionate advocate for rural and regional communities and for a balanced approach to water reform in the Murray-Darling Basin. Her vision for the Murray-Darling is for it to become the world's best example of an environmentally healthy, sustainable river system supporting efficient irrigation industries and vibrant river communities.


Gioia Small
General Manager Sustainability
Treasury Wines

Gioia Small is the Regional Manager Sustainability at Treasury Wine Estates (TWE). TWE has an impressive portfolio of brands including Penfolds, Lindemans, Wolf Blass and Rosemount. Gioia and her team are responsible for leading and supporting the Technical Innovation and Sustainability strategy for TWE’s Australian and New Zealand operations. Her work includes integrating natural resource risk into supply chain planning and operations, environmental management for all TWE’s vineyards, wineries and packaging centres and fostering key relationships with other businesses, industries, R&D organisations and NGOs to work on projects with mutual benefits.

Over the last 10 years, Gioia has been responsible for leading TWE’s approach to managing climate change risk and adaptation.


Georgie Somerset
Vice President
Agforce Queensland

A beef producer and rural leader with experience in agribusiness, rural tourism and regional development, Georgie Somerset's work involves identifying and advocating opportunities, resolving issues and creating linkages and networks across rural sectors. Actively involved in beef production in Qld's South Burnett and mother of three children, Georgie is on the board of Children's Health Queensland  and QRAA, and is vice president of AgForce Qld as well as being is involved with various industry and community groups over many years.

She has served on the National Rural Advisory Council, the Rural Telecommunications Independent Review Committee and is immediate past president of the Qld Rural, Regional and Remote Women's Network. Georgie’s life combines cattle yards and board rooms, boarding school parenting and committee chairing, and long drives for short meetings. She believes in lifelong learning and education, is passionate about agriculture and its opportunities and raising her family. She also knows that accessing information and influencing decision makers is still possible in a remote location if you can stay connected and access sufficient data.


Simon Speirs
Principal
Communicate3

Simon Speirs grew up as part of a grain and grazing business in southern NSW. His career has included working on the family farm and as an agronomist, in field and laboratory science, strategy implementation, and international microfinance. He delivered a world first by building and rolling out national soil test criteria to underpin fertilizer decisions in Australia’s $9B grains industry. He has led the grains industry’s investment in crop nutrition RD&E and the Climate Change Research Strategy for Primary Industries.

His interests focus on the adjustment of agricultural supply chains, environmental sustainability and technology change in an increasingly globalized sector. Simon holds an MBA (AGSM), and a PhD and Bachelor of Science in Agriculture (University of Sydney).


Sherrill Stivanoagribusiness outlook australia 2016 conference Sydney
Farmer & Councillor
Australian Lot Feeders Association

Sherrill Stivano has a burning desire to improve the lot of rural communities and the agricultural industry as a whole.

She grew up in a cattle-farming family in the small South Western Queensland town of Injune, and now with her husband Justin and their three young boys, operates a beef cattle feedlot and hay growing business near Roma. Sherrill’s aim is to increase public awareness of the fact that Australia’s agricultural commodities are the amongst the most desirable in the world; being free from many diseases, have carefully monitored chemical use, animal welfare is a priority, and that environmental stewardship and sustainability is integral to this process.

She is committed to ensuring that there are not only viable and environmentally sustainable agricultural industries in her area of the Maranoa in Queensland, but is also working to improve the outlook of Australia’s agricultural industries through constructive legislation and policies.

Awarded the 2015 RIRDC Rural Women’s Award for Queensland, Sherrill identified the need for farmers to showcase their practices and high standards themselves, rather than relying on big corporations to create suppliers assurance programs requiring financial membership for accreditation for practices that farmers already undertake. 


Don Taylor
Chairman
GrainCorp

Don Taylor has been involved in agriculture his whole life.  Firstly as a producer of grain, beef and cotton, secondly as a representative of the Queensland grains industry through his involvement with various industry representative bodies and thirdly as a significant participant in agribusiness.
He is currently the Chairman of GrainCorp Limited, a position he has held since 2005.  This also included a 12 month period serving as Acting CEO throughout 2014.  Don is a Director of Beston Global Foods Limited which listed on the ASX in 2015.  He was previously Chairman of Carrington Cotton Limited and has served on numerous Government advisory bodies throughout his extensive career and involvement in agribusiness.

Don is a Chartered Accountant, having worked with Arthur Andersen in the 1970’s in Sydney, Singapore and Brisbane.  He graduated from Queensland University with a Bachelor of Commerce and has a Post Graduate Diploma in Rural Science.  He is also a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.


John Wagner
Chairman
Wagners

John is the Chairman of Wagner Global Services and one of the founders of the Wagner Group of Companies, also known as Wagners. This is a diversified group of companies, comprising of cement and fly ash production, contract crushing, on-site concrete plants, bulk haulage, reinforcing steel, precast concrete, composite fibre products and an oil and gas engineering services business. Wagners is based in Toowoomba and has operations in Australia, Malaysia, PNG and Mongolia. The company employs approximately 1000 full-time staff as well as subcontractors and have recently build Toowoomba's new airport, Brisbane West Wellcamp Airport. Wellcamp Airport is the first greenfield public airport built in Australia in the last 50 years.


Sally Watts
Assistant General Manager
Austrade

Sally-Ann is Assistant General Manager(Trade) in Austrade’s International Operations Division, based in Melbourne. Her role is responsible for leadership of Austrade’s Food and Agribusiness team, International Health team, Match Australia program and Women in Global Business program.  Sally-Ann has held a number of roles with Austrade in Australia, as well as spending more than 10 years as Senior Trade Commissioner with Austrade in Tokyo, Toronto and Los Angeles. Sally-Ann has also just returned from 6 months as the interim Consul General/Senior Trade Commissioner in San Francisco.

Prior to joining Austrade, Sally-Ann spent 8 years with KPMG Consulting in Melbourne, where she led a practice focused on cross-border trade and investment, assisting Australian and North American organisations with their investments and other business across Asia. She has worked and travelled extensively throughout Asia and North America.

Sally-Ann has a Bachelor of Arts (Asian Studies), Diploma of International Law and a Masters of Business Administration.


Andrew Weidemann
Chairman
Grain Producers Australia

Andrew Weidemann is a 3rd generation farmer from Rupanyup Victoria Wimmera Region. Rupanyup is well known as the Home of the first Bendigo Community Bank which Andrew was heavily involved with in its development. He farms in partnership with his wife Julie and Brother Rodney & Wife Andrea cropping 3500 Ha of Wheat, Barley, Canola, Pulses as well as managing a White Suffolk Stud.

The Weidemann family have been acknowledged as innovators and early adopters of new technology by the industry wining various awards. They continue to invest and support on farm research trials across their farm. The Weidemann’s have built up significant on farm storage allowing them to trade internationally into markets around the world.  Recently Andrew has become the face of Crown Lager in an advertisement profiling the raw materials used in its production. In  industry Andrew has held senior positions in the VFF  and Deputy  Chair of the Birchip Cropping Group.

Currently He serves on various Federal & State Committees   developing strategies around Markets and Research. He is the Current National Chairman for Grain Producers Australia the peak industry body for Grains in Australia.


Brett Whelan
Associate Professor in Precision Agriculture
The University Of Sydney

Brett Whelan is A/Prof in Precision Agriculture in the Precision Agriculture Laboratory (PAL) at the University of Sydney. Brett’s research work is aimed at developing the use of Precision Agriculture (PA) in crop management systems on commercial farms. This has involved over 20 years research into the practical use of a wide range of real-time soil and crop sensing systems and the associated data.

Brett teaches agronomy and PA at the University and is the author of a recent text book on PA for grain production systems.


Ways to engage - speaking opportunities are available

Present your company, showcase your leadership and demonstrate how you can help senior executives, managers and analysts from right across Australia’s agribusiness sector on how to best update and integrate their assets.

Use this unique forum to demonstrate your value to the biggest players in the agribusiness sector. Speakers will assert themselves as leading suppliers and solution providers to the sector.

Call Jon Treherne on +61 (0)2 8188 7536 or email jont@questevents.com.au to discuss how we can put you in front of a highly engaged and receptive audience.

You can also download the sponsorship prospectus here\

Reference: 
Agribusiness Outlook Australia 2016