Alex Liddington

Bloomberg NEF

Alexander is a research analyst with BloombergNEF’s Food, Agriculture and Nature team. Alexander’s research explores the techno-economics of agricultural transition and leads long-term crop and livestock scenario analysis. Prior to BloombergNEF, Alexander worked in the crop protection industry.

Alexander holds a BSc Hons from Newcastle University in Zoology and a Master of Finance from the University of Otago.

Athena Savvas

DISSH

Athena is a self-professed do-gooder, dedicated to helping shape a sustainable future for all. Athena is the Sustainability and Impact Manager at DISSH, a purpose-led Australian fashion brand driven by female empowerment.

Before joining DISSH, Athena was the Sustainability and Projects Manager at Australian menswear brand M.J. Bale and led the development of their Sustainability strategy and B Corp certification. Her impact goes beyond fashion. Athena spent over 6 years working in Cambodia on humanitarian aid through direct grassroots work with the local community in remote villages whilst also facilitating volunteer programs that empowered young Australians to make a difference in neighbouring communities.

With a background in philanthropy and a strong belief in the power of business as a force for good, Athena is all about showing that doing right by people and planet is not just possible – it’s powerful.

Ben Wark

Downforce Technologies

Ben Wark is Head of APAC at Downforce Technologies, specialising in large-scale natural capital and measurement. With a background in agribusiness and technology. Ben spearheads the Downforce business across APAC, he leverages his expertise to deliver science-led, ISO 14064-accredited reporting solutions. Ben helps agricultural organisations to improve their land productivity while addressing climate challenges through robust, data-driven emissions and removal analytics, enabling compliance with international sustainability frameworks and Australia’s new reporting requirements.

Connor FitzGerald

FMG

Connor FitzGerald is Chief Commercial Officer at FMG Global and a member of the Executive Leadership Team. Since joining FMG in 2019 to establish its Australian operations, Connor has played a key role in the company’s global growth, guiding commercial strategy through one of the most volatile periods in beef supply chain history. As CCO, Connor leads the development and execution of FMG’s commercial strategies across all global regions. He is responsible for identifying growth opportunities, expanding strategic partnerships, and ensuring alignment across the McDonald’s supply chain to deliver long-term value. Connor brings over 20 years of experience in Australia’s red meat supply chain, spanning operational management, market analysis, export trading, new product development, and financial risk management. His extensive background across both supply and commercial functions equips him with a deep understanding of global protein markets and customer expectations. He holds a Bachelor of Rural Science from the University of New England and a Post-Graduate Diploma of Applied Finance. At FMG Global, Connor combines commercial leadership with operational insight to drive sustainable growth, global collaboration, and resilient supply outcomes for McDonald’s.

Danny Thomas

LAWD

Danny Thomas is a Senior Director with LAWD and brings more than 25 years’ experience to the role, having held senior agribusiness leadership positions in commercial real estate companies in Australia. Widely regarded as one of the nation’s leading agribusiness transaction advisors, Danny has stewarded many of the largest transactions in Australia’s farm sector in the past decade.

Elizabeth Batten

ACCC

Assistant Director, Competition Exemptions, Australian Competition and Consumer Commission

Elizabeth has 20 years’-experience at the ACCC in analytical, coordination and policy roles. Her current work includes assessing applications for authorisation and notifications for exemption from competition law, and assessing applications for certification trade marks. Some recent matters include applications for authorisation of joint electricity buying groups, and collaboration by banks on initiatives to combat scams.

Greer McCracken

GO.FARM

Greer is GO.FARM’s COO, leading Distribution, Investor Relations, People and Culture and Communications. Greer has over 20 years’ experience working across marketing, people, ESG, Wellness and Workplace discipline. She has specialist expertise in leading and delivering business strategy as well as leading integrated communications strategies for global businesses.

Before joining GO.FARM in 2023, Greer worked at the Cotton On Group for 10 years as General Manager – Global Communications, Workplace and Wellness and 5 years at Mecca Brands as National Communications Manager. Greer has a Bachelor of Arts – Political Science from La Trobe University and a Bachelor of Communications (Hons). – Public Relations and Journalism from Monash University.

Jessica Mitchell

Greenham

Jessica Mitchell is the Livestock Supply Chain Manager for Australian beef processor, Greenham, who operate three export beef plants across Victoria and Tasmania. In her role, Jessica is responsible for overseeing the company’s natural beef programs, digital feedback systems, supply chain sustainability initiatives, and engagement with producers. Since joining the team in December 2020, she has successfully delivered two new premium programs to Greenham producers and customers, including the Greenham Beef Sustainability Standard (GBSS) and the Dairy Beef Program.

With a background in Agricultural Science, Jess spent much of her early career with processor Teys Australia working in livestock, analytics, and project management roles and, before joining Greenham, led the MSA Business Development team to help drive adoption and commercialisation of the Meat Standards Australia (MSA) program.

Jessica a passionate advocate for Australian agriculture and strives to support the ongoing sustainability and resilience of the industry through her involvement in the Australian Beef Sustainability Framework (ABSF) Steering Group, Australian Meat Industry Council’s (AMIC) Sustainability Reference Committee and as a non-Executive Director for Food and Fibre Great South Coast (FFGSC).

Josie Zilm

NAB

Josie Zilm is NAB’s Agribusiness Executive. NAB are Australia’s largest lender to the agricultural sector and Josie draws on her insights as a beef and fodder producer in Gippsland, combined with a national view of the Australian agricultural supply chain, to support the financing of the agricultural sector.

Josie has a Bachelor of Agricultural Science (Hon.) from LaTrobe University, MBA from Federation University, and is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. Josie serves as a director of DataGene and Hico and has held committee roles with Southern Rural Water and Latrobe Irrigators.

With a career spanning regional banking and the dairy sector, Josie is passionate about advancing productivity, adaptation, innovation, and market development—unlocking future growth and profitability for Australian agribusiness, especially at the farm gate.

Julia Waite

MLA

Julia has a background in agricultural science, agtech and startup investment. She has led much of the net zero work under the previous CN30 program and new MLA Strategic plan, responsible for identifying high impact research and development opportunities that delivered progress towards the red meat sector’s net zero target. Prior to joining MLA, Julia was Head of Operations at SproutX, a national accelerator and venture fund for food and agtech startups based in Melbourne.

Jurre Smits

Rabobank

As the Regional Head of Sustainable Finance and Food System Transitions at Rabobank Australia & New Zealand, Jurre leads the Wholesale Sustainable Finance team, delivering financial solutions to corporate clients in the food, agriculture, and energy sectors. His role involves enhancing client engagement and driving business development on sustainability-related topics, with a focus on accelerating transitions in food system. Jurre also oversees sustainability-related risk measures across the regional corporate client portfolio, assessing clients’ progress towards alignment of Rabobank’s climate and nature ambitions.

Jurre was a member of the Taxonomy Advisory Group for the Agriculture and Land sector chapters of the Australian Sustainable Finance Taxonomy and represents Rabobank on the Asia Pacific Loan Markets Association (APLMA) Green and Sustainable Loan Committee.

Before his sustainability role, Jurre was a Director in Rabobank’s capital structuring advisory function working across the Netherlands, Australia and US, providing structure advice for strategic events such as M&A, restructurings and capital markets transactions. (He holds a Master of Science in Financial Engineering & Management from the University of Twente, The Netherlands.)

Lynette Lymbers

ACCC

Senior Analyst, Competition Exemptions, Australian Competition and Consumer Commission.

Prior to working in the Competition Exemptions Branch, Lynette gained experience assessing mergers and acquisitions in the ACCC’s Merger Investigations Branch, and has also worked in private practice as a lawyer.     

Her current work includes assessing applications for protection from competition law on matters involving collaboration between industry participants in payment networks, and collective bargaining notifications. 

Matthew Evans

Matthew Evans is a Tasmanian food writer, television broadcaster and chef who lives and works on Fat Pig Farm, a soil-to-stomach regenerative farm and restaurant. He’s been the host of six series of Gourmet Farmer and two documentaries on SBS TV. A speaker who presents nationally and internationally, Matthew is the author of 15 books on food, including the On Eating Meat, and his latest cookbook, the updated and revised The Real Food Companion. His book SOIL is a hymn to the remarkable, and underappreciated bit of Earth that gifts us life. His most recent book, MILK, unpacks the truth and lies behind the original superfood. Matthew founded and curated the GROUNDED farm festival.

Nathan Moore

Hewitt

Nathan Moore leads companywide sustainability initiatives at Hewitt, focusing on practical strategies that balance environmental stewardship with agricultural productivity and product development. With a background in environmental science and over a decade of experience in sustainability, Nathan has helped shape Hewitt’s sustainability direction —an approach grounded in regenerative agriculture, animal welfare, and measurable outcomes.

Recent work includes developing a full emissions inventory and reduction roadmap, integrating ESG actions into commercial supply chains, and supporting biodiversity and natural capital assessments across Hewitt’s operations. Nathan is committed to collaborative, data-driven solutions that support both producers and the broader industry.

Nikki Jordan

Warakirri

Nikki leads the development of Warakirri Asset Management’s groupwide sustainability strategy; and oversees implementation and reporting across its agriculture and funds management platforms.

Nikki has 20 years’ experience working on various sustainability, environmental and social initiatives across both the private and public sectors.

Nikki holds a Master of Social Science – Environment and Planning from RMIT University, Bachelor of Arts, Sociology from Monash University and an Advanced Diploma of Horticulture from Melbourne University.

Rachel Depree

Zespri

Rachel Depree has extensive global experience leading the integration of sustainability to drive business value.

Most recently she was the Executive Officer for Sustainability at Zespri International, the world’s largest marketer of kiwifruit, selling in more than 50 countries and returning NZ$4bn value to its growers. There she led the embedding of sustainability into Zespri’s business strategy and supply chain with a focus in nutrition, climate and packaging.

Rachel is passionate about agri-business, and in particular the role of the horticulture sector in driving economic value. This means positioning it to navigate the challenges of a changing climate, market requirements, and consumer expectations so as to drive value.

She is a seasoned sustainability professional, with over 20 years’ experience in senior business, industry and government roles in New Zealand and Europe.

Richard Heath

Zero Net Emissions Agriculture CRC

Richard Health is the Chief Executive Officer of Australia’s largest Cooperative Research Centre, Zero Net Emissions Agriculture CRC. His extensive experience in the Australian agriculture sector extends across multiple high-profile roles including as Executive Director with the Australian Farm Institute, Associate Professor of Agronomy and Farm Management at the University of Sydney and Director at Nuffield Australia Farming Scholars. Richard is a non-executive director of the Grains Research and Development Corporation.

Richard Sampson-Genest

Stahmann Webster

Richard joined the Stahmann Webster business as marketing manager in 2005, having worked previously in the specialty food sector and in the aquaculture industry. He became a director and shareholder in 2011, playing a range of leadership roles over time including director of commercial operations, chief commercial officer and deputy CEO.

In 2024 Richard was appointed CEO and managing director of Stahmann Webster. Richard holds an honours degree from the University of Tasmania, encompassing studies in agricultural science, politics, economics, language and literature and an MBA from the University of Queensland. He is a former chair of the Australian Nut Industry Council and on the Australian Macadamia Industry Marketing Committee and a founding director of the World Macadamia Organisation.

Professor Sagadevan Mundree

UQ

Sagadevan Mundree is currently the Head of the School of Agriculture and Food Sustainability at The University of Queensland (UQ), a global leader in agriculture and food sciences and consistently ranked among the top institutions in the world in this field.

Prior to this, he served as Director of the Centre for Agriculture and the Bioeconomy at Queensland University of Technology. He leads a research team focused on developing crops that are more resilient to environmental stresses such as drought and salinity, while also enhancing their nutritional value.

Before joining QUT, Sagadevan held a senior executive role within the Queensland Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries, where he led investment strategy and oversight for research, development, and extension across all primary industries in Queensland.

Earlier in his career, he was an academic at the University of Cape Town and served as CEO of South Africa’s National Innovation Centre for Agricultural Biotechnology.

Sagadevan holds a PhD in Molecular and Cell Biology from Auburn University (USA), completed as a Fulbright Scholar, and an MBA from the University of Cape Town. He is also a Senior Executive Fellow of the Harvard Kennedy School. He is a member of the South African Academy of Science and has previously served on the National Biotechnology Advisory Council.

Tristan Kitchener

Kitchener Partners

Tristan is an independent consultant with over 25 years of experience across the grocery value chain, with a particular focus on fresh foods. He has held senior roles with Coles Supermarkets in Australia and Sainsbury’s in the UK, bringing both strategic and hands-on perspectives to the challenges facing the sector.

Tristan is known for insights across FMCG, fresh foods and agriculture, particularly in promoting supply chain collaboration and helping suppliers work more effectively with retailers to create and capture shared value.

Tristan is a regular speaker at industry conferences and features as a sector expert in media such as Switzer Daily on Sky News. He works with a range of businesses including major and independent retailers, manufactures, private equity firms, state and federal government and other SMEs. Tristan’s formal qualifications include a MBA, MPhil Horticulture Management, BSc (Hons) Biological Sciences and GAICD.

Wade Needham

NRAPAC

Wade works amongst senior agricultural leaders and investment boards within a global Natural Resources asset class (>17.9B CAD). He is a Board Director at Perfection Fresh, one of Australia’s largest privately owned fresh produce businesses who owns farms across the country, including glasshouses, grapes, and berry farms and a network of farmers that grow their exclusive varieties.