2024 Speakers

Huia Adkins is an experienced professional who co-creates sustainability strategy and action. Huia utilises her expertise and understanding of the principles, tools and strategies of sustainable practice to help deliver workable solutions that support global sustainability goals. Huia has more than two decades of experience in sustainability, circular economy, waste management, and strategic planning shaping impactful environmental policies and strategies across private, public, and educational sectors. As a founding member of Circular Economy WA (CEWA) and active participant in national steering committees, she propels Australia’s shift towards circular practices.

Through a political economy lens, Dr Lewis Akenji is helping drive the discourse around economic development and the environment, particularly when it comes to the fair distribution of resources within our remaining ecological limits. Lead author of the Hot or Cool Institute’s report “1.5 Degree Lifestyles: Towards a Fair Consumption Space for all”, Dr Akenji is at the forefront of exploring the intersection between people and sustainability, and is posing challenging but important questions for society in the process.

Through its plant-based foods division, Buntine Protein®, and regenerative and ethical food platform, Dirty Clean Food, Wide Open Agriculture (WOA) creates innovative commercial channels to advance regenerative agriculture. Founded by (now CEO of WOA) Jay Albany, Dirty Clean Food products are today sold to top restaurants, thousands of retail outlets across Australia and Asia and, delivered directly to 10,000+ homes in Perth. The brand supports regenerative management of 30,000 hectares of land and over 30 farming families and small food businesses. Jay has 25 years’ experience in New York and Perth in the startup, finance, and food industries.

Leading one of Australia’s most iconic agribusinesses, Mark Allison has his finger on the pulse of rural and regional Australia. Mark’s 43-year career in agribusiness spans technical, manufacturing, supply and distribution roles and businesses. In 2014 he was appointed Managing Director and CEO of Elders. Since 2014 he has overseen the development and implementation of Elders Eight Point Plans, growing the company from a market capitalisation of $50 million to $2.2 billion at its peak. Mark has served on boards of major Australian agricultural and industrial businesses and holds an Honorary Doctorate from the University of Adelaide for his contribution to agribusiness.

Co-founding Anterra Capital, a venture capital fund dedicated to investing in innovative companies that transform the safety, security and sustainability of global food, Adam Anders is driving change across the agrifood supply chain. Growing up on a farm in Australia before a global 20-year career in private equity and venture capital, Adam is now based in Amsterdam where he works to support entrepreneurs in their efforts to use technology to unlock more nutritious, sustainable, and affordable food.

With the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD), Dr Gaus Azam leads a GRDC funded re-engineering soils project, involving laboratory, glasshouse, and field-based experiments to address multiple interacting soil constraints in the crop root zone through combining innovative soil amelioration techniques and soil profile reengineering. Previously, Gaus successfully managed a DPIRD/GRDC-funded project developing innovative approaches to subsoil acidity management in the Wheatbelt of Western Australia. He has a PhD from the University of Adelaide and has over 15 years of research experience in a range of areas including soil science, agronomy, and crop physiology.

Leading ESG and Climate Services for RSM in Western Australia, Catherine Bell is a sustainability professional who brings decades of experience in economics, research and finance to clients wanting to improve their sustainability strategies. A regular speaker and commentator on sustainability issues, she has advised C-suite executives across Asia, Europe and Australia on business strategy, innovation, and sustainability. Today, Catherine works alongside several major Australian agribusinesses helping them develop robust approaches to sustainability and climate management and reporting.

Natalie Bell is the founder of Hylo Ag – a start-up aiming to provide a recycling pathway for livestock ear tags. She has a passion for the meat and livestock industry with an Agricultural Science degree with Honours in Livestock Production from Sydney University. Natalie’s career in the meat industry began with business development and key account manager roles in a vertically integrated meat business. Living on a sheep property at Holbrook in southern NSW, she has a sound understanding of the business model intricacies of being the farmer, processor, and marketer.

Anna Bennett went from one iconic Australian company to another when she left Australia Post for Elders in 2023. She has over 20 years’ experience leading strategy and transformation for organisations across agriculture, logistics, retail, and consulting as they navigate change and digital disruption. Today, Anna drives the overall group sustainability strategy with Elders, which includes the establishment of Thomas Elder Sustainable Agriculture, Elders’ venture arm focused on sustainable farming solutions of benefit to Elders’ clients and broader industry.

Converting methane gas from pig manure into electricity is just one of the revolutionary sustainability initiatives Edwina Beveridge implemented at her 2,200 sow pig farm and mixed farming property near Young in New South Wales. With a goal of feeding Australia sustainably, Blantyre Farms also uses waste products for pig feed, saving 13,500 tonnes from landfill each year. Edwina has a commerce degree from the University of Sydney, and was formerly a chartered accountant. She serves as Chair of the NSW Farmers Pork Committee.

As a key member of the leadership team, Dr Ben Biddulph coordinates and supports research across the Western Australian grains, farming systems, livestock, horticulture, and aquaculture teams at the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD). Prior to this, Ben spent twenty years leading, managing, and delivering research throughout regional Western Australia and nationally. Passionate about advancing primary industry science, and research and development, Ben has focused on issues affecting grower production and profitability, specifically through agronomic and genetic research into abiotic stress tolerance of cereals.

With a background in ag science, Jacqui Biddulph and her husband returned to the family dairy farm nearly 30 years ago. Jacqui has a passion for sustainability in agriculture and firmly believes the farming sector can contribute positively to the energy transition through smart farming, production efficiency and adoption of credible agritech that can lower emissions while not compromising on profit. She sees physical and financial farm business performance measurement as critical to ensuring agriculture plays a key role in a lower emissions future.

A big believer in challenging the status quo of farming in Australia, Cressida Cains is an innovator and entrepreneur who builds sustainable and profitable businesses to help protect national food security. Founding Pecora Dairy in 2011, Cressida and the team were the first cheesery in Australia licensed to make raw milk cheese. A long-term advocate for small dairy businesses, in 2021 Cressida founded Dairy Cocoon, an online platform designed to help dairy farmers begin the journey of transformation along their value chains.

A fourth-generation grazier from north-west Queensland, Luke Chaplain’s is a leader in the agtech field thanks to his expertise in drone mustering. SkyKelpie aims to be the first company in the world to enable widespread adoption of livestock mustering with drones, by developing a range of products and services that will support graziers. Luke is also an award-winning filmmaker and sees those skills having a positive impact on his business and the agricultural sector at large.

Guy Coleman is currently involved in research and development of autonomous weed control platforms. He developed OpenWeedLocator (OWL), an open-source, DIY weed detector for precision weed control. The University of Sydney PhD student is currently a guest researcher at the University of Copenhagen and as a Fullbright Scholar he studied plant growth-stage recognition at Texas A&M University. Guy’s worked with worked with farmers and engineers developing methods for real-time weed recognition, including Weed-AI, providing open-source access to image data for algorithm training. He’s also served as Vice-Chair of the Ag Institute Australia, founded AgriEducate and has been a member of the AgriFutures Ignite Panel.

Owning and operating Yarrie Station and leasing Coongan Station in the East Pilbara of Western Australia, Annabelle Coppin manages roughly 450,000 hectares of landscape to produce high quality beef. A mother of three young girls, Annabelle established Outback Beef and has developed a small line of its own branded beef products. She is passionate about rangeland restoration, quality stockmanship and fostering a great culture to work in. Her long term vision is to leave “everything better”, and Yarrie country in an even more resilient state. Annabelle is committed to demonstrating you can produce a natural beef product while caring for your country, your cattle, your people and your viability all at the same time.

Born and raised growing, packing, selling (and eating) fruit, Gaethan Cutri pursued a career in law before returning to farming. Since then, he and his wife have expanded the premium stone fruit growing and packing business to encompass the entire supply chain – from importing their own exclusive plant genetics, establishing their own nursery, developing and export business, as well as a value added business to utilise waste. With a passion for delivering top quality fruit at fair prices, Gaethan is committed to mechanisation and Agritech. This forward thinking has led to Cutri Fruit to develop of some of the most innovative stone fruit orchard architecture in the world, which will allow them to be robot ready.

Michael Dean has over 25 years’ experience across food and agriculture, venture capital, sustainability, carbon markets and the law. Prior to AgFunder, he founded SeedRock Capital Partners and was founder and CEO of Seedrock Africa Agriculture, a West-African based social impact investment agribusiness. As a lawyer, Michael has had experience with large-scale projects that incorporate complex environmental and development issues. Recently, he was recognised in the Meaningful Business 100 list, for his work to help achieve the UN Global Goals for Sustainable Development.

Leading the Primary Industries Climate Challenges Centre within the University of Melbourne, Professor Richard Eckhard addresses the impacts of a changing climate on agriculture His research focuses on sustainable agricultural production, with a recent focus on carbon neutral agriculture and options for agriculture to respond to a changing climate. Richard developed the first greenhouse gas accounting tools for agriculture with his research and expertise provided the science basis for the development of six carbon offset methods in Australia. Richard advises the Australian, New Zealand and UK governments on climate change adaptation and agricultural policy development.

Ty Fulwood, a grain producer and owner of Mt Noddy Farming, oversees a 5,600 hectare cropping operation in Western Australia at Meckering and South Tammin. Alongside his wife Em and three daughters, Ty is dedicated to agricultural innovation, focusing on soil improvement and amelioration. His commitment to advancing farming practices reflects a passion for sustainability and efficiency in the agricultural sector.

With a CV including multiple CEO roles across organisations including Rural Bank, the Foundation for Rural and Regional Renewal and the Birchip Cropping Group, Alexandra Gartmann has deep experience across agriculture, banking, and the environment. Alexandra has worked on rural development projects in western China and Chile, and today holds several board positions with leading Australian agricultural industry bodies including Nufarm, Australian Farm Institute, the National Rural Advisory Council, the Victorian Agriculture and Climate Change Council, the Australian Wool Testing Authority, Helen Macpherson Smith Trust and the One Basin CRC.

An alchemist when it comes to brewing, John Gibbs began developing beer recipes infused with native Australian botanical ingredients in 2017. Since then, the accolades have flowed with his Spinifex Brewing Co picking up awards for all entries at the prestigious London Beer Competition in both 2020 and 2021. From a pioneering Western Australian family, John has strong links to the country, agriculture and Western Australia’s distinctive flora and botanicals and these ingredients star in his unique range of Australian fusion beers.

With a deep understanding of the global trends impacting agriculture, Natasha Greenwood leads the Commonwealth Bank’s agribusiness team as it works to enable farmers to grow and diversify their operations, explore new markets, and innovate. Working closely with customers to help them navigate the risks and opportunities presented by the transition towards net zero, Natasha is passionate about the role banking and finance plays in supporting agriculture to successfully participate in the transition economy.

Before joining AgriFutures Australia, John Harvey had a nearly 20-year career with the Grains Research and Development Corporation, including five years as Managing Director. In 2016 John was appointed Managing Director of AgriFutures Australia and accepted the challenge to set a new, more commercial direction for the organisation. John aims to make AgriFutures Australia a change agent for transforming existing industries with new technologies and seeding new, high value industries that ensure Australian agriculture continues to grow. An Australian Institute of Company Directors graduate and experienced director, John has served on the boards of the Australian Crop Accreditation System Limited, the Value-Added Wheat CRC, Pulse Breeding Australia, Barley Breeding Australia, and the National Soybean Breeding Program.

With over 35 years of global mining experience, Amanda Healy is a Wonnarua woman from the upper Hunter Valley who now calls Western Australia home. After founding and running her own engineering business in the Pilbara from 2003-2015, Amanda turned her focus to social enterprise with the foundation of Kirrikin in 2014. Sharing profit with partnering Indigenous artists, Kirrikin prints Aboriginal artwork onto luxurious fabrics to make clothing and accessories. Amanda is also the Co-Founder and CEO of Warrikal, a majority Indigenous-owned Mechanical Services business operating across the Pilbara.

Over eleven years with News Corp, Jackson Hewett worked as the Editor of Business Spectator and Associate Editor at The Australian, where he focused on premium content, co-hosted the Australian Ag podcast with The Weekly Times, and performed MC duties at the Global Food Forum. Originally from a farm, Jackson became interested in business from an early age and in 20 years of covering finance and economics across the world, he has always found himself drawn to stories involving agriculture. Jackson joined AuctionsPlus in 2023 and bringing a wide range of journalistic experience across as expands its content and insights offering to its agribusiness audience.

An award-winning social entrepreneur and innovator, Julie Hirsch has been recognised as Telstra’s Victorian Businesswoman of the Year and named on the Forbes 30 under 30 list. A leader in impact-led innovation, her passion lies in marrying global problem spaces with customer problem spaces, leading to patent-pending and first-of-their-kind products and services that have social good built into their business model. As the Co-Founder of a novel method of blending the world’s first all natural vitamin tea, Julie created an overnight success years in the making when she secured store space for her product across 1,500 stores in its first year. That was before she closed a nearly $1 million Series A investment round in only eight days. She is also the Entrepreneur-in-Residence with AGL Energy’s Emerging Business division, dedicated to creating innovative solutions for decarbonising the Australian way of life.

A member of the International Panel of Experts on Sustainable Food Systems (IPES-Food), Professor Philip Howard’s end-to-end perspective of the food production system and visualisations of changes to that system, particularly trends of consolidation in food and agricultural industries, have been featured in numerous media outlets and policy forums. His publications include the book, Concentration and Power in the Food System: Who Controls What We Eat? (2016 and 2021), and the recent IPES-Food report, The Politics of Protein (2022).

With more than 25 years’ experience in analysing trends in international markets and food and agriculture supply chains, Tim Hunt has carved out a career advising processors, branded food companies, primary producers and agrifood investors on business strategy. Having worked as General Manager RaboResearch Australia and New Zealand, Global Dairy Strategist Rabobank, and in senior analyst roles at ANZ and LMC International, Tim now runs Tim Hunt Consulting specialising in strategic analysis, communication advice and facilitation services to clients across the food and agribusiness sector. He is also the joint Program Director of Rabobank’s Business Management Programs and assists companies and large primary producers on strategy.

A recipient of an AgriFutures Australia Horizon Scholarship in 2020, Bill Hyem is focused on pursuing opportunities to increase sustainability and profitability in agriculture through technological innovations. Bill now works with Australian landholders to start soil carbon projects that encourage the use of new technologies and practices for increased sustainability and profitability. Graduating from Australian Natural University with a Bachelor of Science, Bill co-authored a paper on the use of variant dwarfing genes to improve coleoptile vigour and stand establishment in wheat.

Bryce Ives is masterful at making groups connect and facilitating conversations that matter. Instrumental in leading some of Australia’s most enduring agricultural leadership, youth development and community media projects, Bryce is also an experienced company director and c-suite executive with a focus on engagement, communications, public and government affairs, and social impact work. Bryce designed the Talking 2030 roadmap, consultation framework, to get Australian Agriculture to $100 billion at the farm gate by 2030.For the past twelve years, Bryce has worked as Chief Facilitator of the AgriFutures Horizon program and for the AgriFutures Rural Women’s Award program.

Prior to entering politics, The Hon Jackie Jarvis worked in the finance industry before setting up a commercial vineyard and winery in the Margaret River with her husband Matt. As a farmer, businesswoman and now public servant, Jackie is a passionate advocate for communities in the bush. She has served as CEO of the WA Rural, Regional and Remote Women’s Network, Commissioner for the Forest Products Commission and on the boards of the Australian Landcare Council and the South West Development Commission.

Dr Terri Janke is a Wuthathi, Yadhaigana and Meriam woman and a legal expert and advocate for the protection and recognition of Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property. Her True Tracks® Principles have become a highly-recognised framework for respecting and protecting the rights of Indigenous peoples. She continues to endorse the True Tracks® Principles as a tool to empower Indigenous peoples and bridge the gap between Indigenous knowledge systems and Western legal frameworks. Terri was Co-Chief Author of the State of the Environment Report 2021, which marked the first time in history that Indigenous voices were included in the State of the Environment reports.

Brad is a Western Australian farmer who has gained widespread recognition for his pioneering data-based farming methods, solidifying his position as a leading figure in Australian agriculture. Aside from Bungulla Farming, Brad currently serves as the non-executive chairman of Origo.ag, an agriech company specialising in manufacturing and services. Brad’s achievements were recognised with the prestigious award of 2016 Australian Cropping Farmer of the Year, and his commitment to use his experience and innovative approach to reshape the future of Australian agriculture is unwavering.

SamLambert is the co-founder of zenGate, a blockchain technology business focused on empowering under-served commodity producers around the world. zenGate’s flagship product, Palmyra.app, is an aggregate marketplace solution for commodity producers and buyers, with scalable modules such as traceability, payments, and compliance. Sam studied economics and statistics at the Australian National University under Prof. Bob Gregory and began his career at international management consulting firm, Oliver Wyman. Raised in Sydney and now living in Japan, his focus is on providing equal access to opportunities and innovation for agribusiness and communities, no matter their size or location around the world.

A trailblazing entrepreneur and impact investor with a passion for merging technology, social impact and agricultural innovation, Ethy Levy is a driving force in the development of sustainable agritech aimed at mitigating the impact of climate change. Ethy is based in Israel and has an extended global activity with partners in Australia, Japan and the US. Founder of strategic consultancy, Impact Innovation Israel, and Co-Founder of The Bridge Hub, Ethy is a staunch advocate for impact investing, a mother of five, avid mountain biker.

A technologist by trade and a specialist in applying technology to drive sustainable food production, Devon Long is focused on solving a defining problem of our time – how to feed a growing population with limited resources. Regrow Ag’s mission is to unlock the power of resilient agriculture to combat climate change and grow profitability, and Devon works to ensure the agricultural resilience platform is enabling opportunities for reduced environmental impact on-farms across the Asia Pacific region.

Richard Lovell, is a visionary leader with a proven track record in successfully managing and scaling businesses from inception. He initiated Thailand’s first freshwater crayfish farm in 1996, before transitioning to CP Group, Thailand’s premier private corporation. As a Regional Head, he managed M&A evaluations and sourcing, aligning with CP Group’s regional expansion goals. Fluent in Thai, Richard’s expertise spans Australia, New Zealand, Thailand, Southeast Asia, and Southern Africa. Recently appointed as Director of Global Procurement and Networking, Richard now spearheads global procurement strategies, cultivates international partnerships, optimises supply chains, and leads cross-cultural teams, aligning CP Group for global success.

Darryl Lyons is a proud Maiawali man, passionate about what technology can do for agriculture and traditional owners to provide a more sustainable future. His business Rainstick draws inspiration from the traditions of the Maiawali People of central west Queensland, and builds on a 10,000-year-old practice that acknowledges the influence of lightning on how plants grow. Using electricity to mimic lightning’s natural effects on plants, Rainstick’s goal is to integrate Indigenous sustainable practices with modern technology to address the impact of modern agriculture on climate and planet. Darryl is passionate about increase productivity, reducing waste in a more sustainable way and investigating and adapting Indigenous sustainable practices into modern agricultural systems.

With her career in agriculture spanning roles in the supply chain, buying, and agricultural sustainability, Lauren Mackenzie today has the benefit of working on transformative sustainability initiatives with some of Australia’s best farmers and industry partners. Joining Coles over 10 years ago, Lauren’s expertise in sustainability in the food system brings a unique understanding about the importance of consumer trust in the supply chain. Lauren and her team work to collaborate with Australian farmers to build more sustainable and resilient agriculture supply chains.

Roberta Marcoli, is dedicated to advancing the sustainability and profitability in the aquaculture industry through her work as a Postdoctoral Researcher at James Cook University as a scientist specialising in molecular biology and bioinformatics application. Her interest in the marine environment began in childhood in a small Italian fishing village and Roberta has a PhD in aquaculture and molecular biology. She’s worked in Italy, French Polynesia, New Zealand on Australia with a focus on sustainable aquaculture practices. Roberta’s also passionate about science communication, believing that it’s important to simplify complex scientific concepts so that all members of the community can understand the role of aquaculture in securing our oceans and our future.

After 20 years working in management, strategy, advocacy, and leadership for agricultural and rural communities in Australia and throughout Asia, embarking on a Nuffield Scholarship to research impacts of global ESG policies on Australian farmers seems like a logical next step for Catherine Marriot. A proven community leader and experienced CEO, Catherine’s skills in innovation implementation, industry advocacy and capacity building are renowned within the ag sector. Catherine is an experienced Director and currently sits on the Murray Local Land Services Board, and is an Associate of the Australian Rural Leadership Foundation.

In 2023, Dr Pam Marrone and co-founder Jim Boyd, the former President & CFO of Marrone Bio, launched the Invasive Species Corporation, to bring effective, environmentally friendly biological solutions to control destructive invasive species, in water, forestry and agriculture. Spending over 30 years focused on biological products for pest management and plant health, Pam has founded three other bioag businesses, all of which were sold to larger companies. She is one of only 32 women to have founded a company and taken it public in the United States. She holds several board positions, and advises female founded or led, agritech or agbio startups. In 2023 she received the Rosalind Franklin Award from the Biotechnology Industry Association and in 2022 she was the first woman to receive the American Chemical Society “Kathryn C. Hach Award for Entrepreneurial Success.”

Nicolás Martelli is at the forefront of transforming agricultural quality assessment using Artificial Intelligence, Computer Vision, and the Internet of Things. Having previously managed IncuBAte, the City of Buenos Aires Government’s incubation program, and fostering startups through mentoring, workspaces, and grants, he brings a wealth of experience to the intersection of technology and agriculture. Nicolás’ dynamic role reflects his commitment to driving innovation across the agrifood supply chain.

Fanny Mattens, has 20 years of experience in the aerospace industry, and was appointed Head of Strategic Development and Sustainability for Australia and the Pacific at Airbus in 2023. Fanny is responsible for shaping corporate strategy, driving sustainability efforts, and fostering partnerships in aviation, notably advancing Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) in the region. Her tenure includes roles as Chief of Staff at Airbus Helicopters and VP Transformation at Airbus Australia Pacific, focusing on strategic procurement, digital transformation, and corporate resilience. A graduate of IAE Lille and Staffordshire University, she holds a Master’s in International Business and Strategy and is a certified Lean Six Sigma Manager.

Within the Centre for Agricultural Engineering at the University of Southern Queensland, Dr Cheryl McCarthy’s research involves developing machine vision and sensing systems for agriculture. She has worked on machine vision projects for the beef, macadamia, and fodder industries, and is researching precision sensing of weeds in sugarcane, cotton, and grains. In 2023, Cheryl was awarded AgriFutures Australia Researcher of the Year for her work in developing innovative machine vision technology for the Australian Chicken Meat industry to autonomously monitor flock growth and welfare. She has a BEng (Mechatronic) and PhD from USQ.

An experienced company director, Cathy McGowan has an extensive career in business, agricultural research, development, extension, and politics. Prior to her role at AgriFutures Australia, Cathy’s career highlights include representing the rural electorate of Indi in Parliament from 2013-2019, being the president of the peak national organisation, Australian Women in Agriculture, Chair of National Regional Women’s Advisory Council, and a community representative at the 4th Ministerial meeting of the WTO in Doha. Cathy lives in the Indigo Valley, Dudwroa and Dhargal country where the community groups play a vital role in enhancing sustainability within the Murray Darling system.

Oral McGuire is a Noongar leader and landholder who is strongly skilled at cross cultural mentoring and education. Oral has extensive experience in traditional land and fire management practices, as well as 20 years’ experience running his consulting business. He has worked across government, private enterprise and the not-for-profit sector bridging the divide between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal communities.

A prominent leader within the Noongar community, Oral has held a number of roles in Aboriginal organisations. His current roles include chairing Noongar Land Enterprises Incorporated, Yaraguia Enterprises Incorporated and as a member of the Curtin University Aboriginal Advisory Council.

Oral holds a strong personal commitment to the values of integrity, dedication, loyalty and enthusiasm, and presents these values in all of his professional and personal efforts.

With deep international experience in fresh food sourcing, leading strategy, digital transformation and commercialisation, Harriet Mellish today leads AgriFutures Australia’s Global Innovation Networks (GIN). Through GIN, Harriet is driving a strategy designed to ensure Australia is a leader in accessing and adopting, as well as developing and exporting, agrifood technologies and innovation. Throughout her career, Harriet has landed digital innovation for beef and lamb processing, launched new product ranges and driven business strategy for Coles Supermarkets’ Meat, Deli, and Seafood unit.

Using pharmaceutical-based approaches to replicate nature’s anti-methanogenic compound and turn it into scalable and highly effective livestock feed supplements, David Messina and his startup Rumin8 are at the forefront of designing solutions to combat emissions from agriculture. David has been successful in attracting support for Rumin8 from domestic and international climate impact funds, including Bill Gates’ Breakthrough Energy Ventures and Harvest Road. Born and raised on a farm in WA, David has a deep understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing producers in the transition to net zero.

Dr Kieren Moffat is a social scientist committed to bridging the gap between communities and the companies, industries and institutions that work alongside them. Prior to co-founding Voconiq, he was a Senior Research Scientist with the CSIRO. Working across a broad range of industries across the world, Kieren uses quantitative social psychological research methods to reveal the pathways to deeper community trust for companies and industries, and to provide a voice for community members in decisions that affect their lives. He is the lead researcher on the Community Trust in Rural Industries and Community Perceptions & Worker Experiences projects.

Professor Navid Moheimani is a distinguished figure in the field of Applied Phycology, currently managing Algae R&D group at Murdoch University’s School of Environmental and Conservation Sciences. He is also Chief Scientific Officer of biotech startup, Algae Harvest Pty Ltd. Navid’s work spans various critical areas, from the cultivation of microalgae and macroalgae for wastewater treatment to the intricacies of algal physiology and photosynthesis. He’s also at the forefront pushing the boundaries in sustainable energy solutions, including exploring solar energy conversion to biomass and electricity.

Tim Neale, is a highly accomplished figure in the agricultural sector, named Australian Agricultural Consultant of the Year in 2018 and UQ Gatton Gold Medallist in 2023. With over 25 years of experience both in Australia and internationally, he currently serves as the President of AusAgritech and is the co-founder and Managing Director of DataFarming, an agtech business based in Queensland. Tim’s primary focus is on the adoption of technology, and their digital platform now services over 35,000 farms across 50 countries. Recently, DataFarming was awarded Australia’s Best Agritech 2023.

Running a broadacre family farm in the north-eastern wheatbelt of Western Australia, Bob Nixon has a strong interest in crop agronomy, soil health, whole of landscape management and resilient communities. A GRDC board member and councillor with the WA Soil and Land Conservation Council, Bob was previously Chair of the Grain Industry Association of WA. Observing increasing dryness and seasonal variability in the WA cropping belt, Bob completed a Nuffield scholarship in 2014 focusing on mitigating risk in a dry and variable climate. Bob was awarded the GRDC Seed of Light in 2019 for his work in managing soil constraints.

Co-Founding and managing a venture capital firm focused on decarbonising the food system and building a resilient, profitable future for agriculture, Sarah Nolet is renowned in the Australian agrifood tech and innovation landscape. Sarah regularly publishes her theses on the future of the industry and the realities of scaling a venture firm to thousands of followers globally and is a respected advisor to companies in the Tenacious Ventures portfolio and beyond. She is also hosts the ‘AgTech…So What?’ podcast, telling stories of global food system innovators.

Founder, Sirona Ventures Bloomberg and the New York Times have called her “food’s Erin Brockovich”, and Robyn O’Brien’s TEDx talk has been translated into several languages and inspired millions. Robyn is an entrepreneur and founder of several ventures, including most recently Sirona Ventures, Women Transforming Food and Finance and rePlant Capital. A Fulbright Scholar, best-selling author, acclaimed public speaker and mother of four, Robyn was recognised on the 202 Forbes Impact 50 List for her work in agriculture and climate. Her next book, Seeding Innovation, the Path to Profit and Purpose in the 21st Century, is coming in April 2024.

In his multi-faceted role as a management consultant and advocate in the global meat and livestock industry, Dr Michael Patching is committed to promoting ethical practices in livestock production and processing. An ambassador for the Better Choices Program, Michael actively advocates for humane treatment of animals in abattoirs and effective pain mitigation on farm. Although highly regarded as a market analyst and commentator, it’s Michael’s unwavering commitment to practical animal welfare improvements for the livestock sector that sets him apart.

Brianna Peake has been with CBH since 2010, initially as Grower Relations Manager, before moving into communications marketing and government and industry relations functions. Today, Brianna is responsible for corporate affairs, government, industry and grower relations, sustainability, and strategy. An alumni of the Harvard Business School Advanced Management Program, Brianna is also a Fellow of the Australian Rural Leadership Foundation, a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, and holds a Bachelor of Science in Natural Resource Management and a Graduate Certificate in Corporate Finance.

Backing promising entrepreneurs and teams that can profitably use new technologies and business models to address the need to produce more food, support better nutrition and increase the sustainability of global agricultural production is the brief for Ryan Rakestraw and Temasek. Ryan was previously an early-stage investor with Monsanto Growth Ventures, Cultivation Capital, and the Yield Lab, which he co-founded. He holds a Bachelor of Science in electrical engineering, a Master of Science in electrical and computer engineering, and an MBA.

Abi is a food systems entrepreneur, co-founding Papi’s Pickles in 2014, a food social enterprise providing fresh and tasty Tamil food made by women from these communities who relocated to the UK during the civil war in Sri Lanka, and ImpactVision in 2016, an imaging and machine learning technology startup tackling the $1 trillion food waste problem from a post-harvest standpoint. ImpactVision was acquired in February 2020 by Apeel Sciences, and until September 2023, Abi was a Project Lead at Google X’s Moonshot Factory working on synthetic biology for climate applications.

Within the Cargill Asia-Pacific Environmental Markets Team, Bjorn Reijnen leads the development of a key carbon insetting program for the Cargill business. Prior to joining Cargill in 2020, Bjorn worked for environmental protection agencies in New Zealand, as well as in Environment, Health and Safety roles with Fonterra, CSR/Wilmar, and Boeing. Bjorn was raised on dairy farms in New Zealand, and he holds a Bachelor of Applied Science from Massey University in Palmerston and a Masters of Science from Lincoln University in New Zealand.

A household name in Australian television and comedy, Craig Reucassel is the presenter of the ABC TV Series, War on Waste and Fight for Planet A: Our Climate Challenge. War on Wate has been watched by 7.1 million people and let to 452 high-impact waste reduction initiatives across business, schools, governments, and community organisations. Craig has written and appeared in a swathe of TV programs including The Election Chaser, CNNNN, The Chaser’s War on Everything, Yes We Canberra, The Hamster Wheel, The Unbelievable Truth, and appeared on ABC in the satirical consumer affairs show, The Checkout.

A champion for local and global university-based economic development, Rebecca Robinson oversees Kansas State University’s robust innovation ecosystem, including technology commercialisation, corporate engagement, and economic development. Her work has contributed to the recruitment of 29 technology-based companies to the Manhattan, Kansas region, creating over 1,700 high wage jobs with a projected economic impact of US$1 billion. Rebecca has garnered international recognition of her economic development and industry engagement efforts. She holds an MBA and bachelor’s degree in marketing, Spanish and leadership studies from Kansas State University, where she is also a doctoral candidate in leadership communication.

Leading the Climate and Sustainability Practice for Boston Consulting Group (BCG) across Australia and New Zealand, Rebecca Russell works with corporate and government clients across many sectors on net zero and nature positive outcomes and the energy and green economy transition. Rebecca works across the food supply chain on sustainable agriculture practices, food waste, decarbonising transportation and logistics, financing, and technology. Her BCG team partner with business, foundations, and governments to support the world’s food supply through sustainable agriculture, resilient supply chains and the availability of healthy food.

In its 137-year history, Natalie Sarich-Dayton is the first woman to be appointed CEO and Managing Director of Brownes Dairy. Natalie is leading the business’ growth into China, southeast Asia, and the United Kingdom. Today, Brownes Dairy is recognised as one of Australia’s most innovative food businesses, winning numerous marketing, packaging, and innovation accolades. Natalie has over 20 years of experience in marketing, sales and management and her CV is stacked with big consumer goods brands, including Coca-Cola, Heinz, and Unilever in Australia and Europe.

A pioneering GenAI expert, Nina Schick analyses how the emerging field of artificial intelligence will change humanity. The Founder of Tamang Ventures, Nina is focused on Generative AI, and advises several AI and technology companies, including Truepic the first to build media authentication technology and Synthesia the world’s first AI-to-video generation platform. Before specialising in Generative AI, Nina worked on geopolitical crises including Brexit, the Russia- Ukraine War and state-sponsored disinformation. She has advised leaders including US President Joe Biden and Former NATO Secretary General, Anders Fogh Rasmussen.

With a background in engineering, Nick Stamatiou is an Australian entrepreneur and Co-Founder of Whole, a foodtech company based in Australia which aims to combine technological innovation with sustainable practices to reshape the food industry. Before founding Whole. Nick built and ran the IP Strategy and Commercialisation team for Deloitte across the Asia Pacific region and has been recognised for seven consecutive years as one of the top 300 IP strategists in the world.

A Partner at Systemiq – a system-change advisory and investment firm – Katherine Stodulka is a champion of diversity in climate finance. As head of the Sustainable Finance practice at Systemiq, Katherine supports financial institutions to design and scale investment platforms to accelerate the transition to a net-zero, nature-positive, and inclusive economy. Katherine has been instrumental in launching transformative investment vehicles like the SDG Namibia One Fund for green hydrogen and Global Fund for Coral Reefs and advises governments on structuring largescale climate finance programmes. Katherine is the Chair of the “Blended Finance Taskforce” – a global coalition which helps mobilise capital for climate action in emerging markets and developing economies. She advises the Coalition of Finance Ministers for Climate Action and is on the Advisory Board of the G7’s Impact Investing Taskforce.

Leading the CEFC’s investment strategy across agriculture, forestry, and broader nature-based solutions, Heechung (Heech) Sung’s work accelerates and contributes to the decarbonisation pathway for Australia. Heech has more than 25 years’ experience in financial and professional services covering sectors including infrastructure, transport, realestate, and agriculture. Heech’s previous roles span Macquarie Group, HMC Capital, Boeing Australia and Qantas, she holds a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) from The University of Sydney, and a Bachelor of Laws (Hons) from The University of Technology Sydney.

As a postdoctoral researcher with CSIRO, Australia’s national science agency’, Katia Taylor is overseeing a project examining the influence of tillage, nutrient amendments, and fungicides on microbe-driven the conversion of crop residues into soil organic carbon. She’s spent more than five years working in agriculture-related research as part of her undergraduate and PhD degrees at the Australian National University, also carrying out part of her postgraduate study at the University of Zurich. Katia’s committed to improving the resilience and sustainability of farming systems to withstand the impacts of a changing climate and to adapt to meet the needs of consumers.

Leith has spent most of his career working for two of Australia’s largest member-owned primary producers co-operatives, CBH Group and Geraldton Fishermen’s Co-operative. With over 20 years of experience, Leith has an extensive skillset with global expertise in relationship management, domestic and export sales, logistics and operational management. Leith is passionate about the co-operative model and the value it returns to Members and the communities in which they operate.

Chris is a Director at Wollemi Capital – a specialist climate investment firm cofounded by Tim Bishop (former Head of Macquarie Capital and Macquarie’s Green Investment Group) and Paul Hunyor (former Head of Asia for the Boston Consulting Group’s Digital and Green Ventures Unit). Wollemi has a strong focus on food, agriculture and natural capital having recently invested into soil carbon business Loam Bio (co-lead their $100M Series B), Pluton Bio green agri-inputs business and having provided project finance to >10 carbon projects on agricultural properties spanning ~5M hectares.

Chris has 15 years’ experience as an investor and operator in climate impact, agriculture, private equity and venture capital. Prior to Wollemi, with BCG’s Green Ventures unit, Chris helped launch platform now used by millions of smallholder farmers (Jiva Ag) with Olam International, a platform which measures GHG emissions in complex food supply chains (Terrascope), a food traceability platform with the World Wildlife Fund (OpenSC) and supported the development of Singapore’s voluntary carbon credit marketplace (Climate Impact Exchange). Chris previously served in an investment, strategy and impact role at private equity firm Pacific Equity Partners and as speech writer/policy advisor to the former Deputy Prime Minister of Australia / Minister responsible for Agriculture, Mining and Energy.

An experienced executive, Rebecca Tomkinson was the CEO of The Western Australian branch of the Royal Flying Doctor Service before joining The Chamber of Minerals and Energy of Western Australia, the peak representative body for the resources sector in WA. In her early career, Rebecca worked in local, state, and federal government before transitioning into executive roles in the corporate and community benefit sectors. Raised in regional WA, Rebecca is committed to the social and economic development of the state and the promotion of the unique and critical role it plays nationally and globally.

Inari is the SEEDesign^TM company using predictive design and advanced multiplex gene editing to unlock the full potential of seed. It has raised US$475 million to date to further advance its market leading position. With deep experience across global agriculture, Ponsi Trivisvavet is leading Inari toward its mission of achieving a more sustainable global food system in the face of climate change. Prior to Inari, Ponsi held several leadership roles including president of North America Seeds with Syngenta. She has an MBA from Cornell University.

Nitin Vaish is part of the Business Development team at Ginkgo Bioworks where he is focused on leveraging synthetic biology solutions to solve customer needs in the Agriculture and Sustainability focused sectors globally. Over the past two decades, he has built and led climate focused businesses in Fortune 100 companies and start-ups in the areas of materials, solar, energy storage, and agriculture. His experiences included leading more than $1 billion product lines, leading global P&L, and raising more than $100 million in equity. 

Planet designs, builds, and operates the largest commercial constellation of imaging satellites globally and provides medium and high-resolution images of the Earth’s landmass daily. Working in the field of satellite Earth observation for 15 years, Dr Thijs van Leeuwen is responsible for the development of Planet’s next-generation data products, including leveraging unique satellite imagery and applied machine learning techniques. With a PhD from the VU University of Amsterdam, Thijs has worked as a scientist for NASA and at the SRON Netherlands Institute for Space Research.

Leading the research teams for Rabobank in Australia and New Zealand, Stefan Vogel and his team deliver market and strategic industry insights for key food and agri sectors to support Rabobank’s rural and wholesale clients locally and globally. With a wealth of market research and corporate strategy, Stefan previously held dual roles in London as Global Sector Strategist Grains and Oilseeds and Head of Agri Commodities Markets Research with Rabobank. Stefan’s experience extends to leadership positions in agricultural market research and strategy in Germany and the US, including as Vice President of the European Grain Trading Association.

Justin is an accomplished entrepreneur, Founder, and Managing Director of AgriWebb, an AgTech SaaS company that manages over 20 million livestock across 150 million acres with $50 billion in agricultural assets. Prior to AgriWebb, Justin founded, scaled and sold three companies, including AI-based asset management hedge funds. He also held senior positions at Macquarie, BlackRock and advises International Acquisition Partners & Tonnerre Investments. Justin’s sporting background includes rowing internationally for Harvard, Oxford, and Australia. Academically, Justin holds an Honors BA in Economics and Applied Mathematics from Harvard and an MBA with distinction from Oxford, where he was the OBA Scholar.

A dedicated sustainability professional, Charlotte Weston drives positive change across sectors. As EY Global Sustainability Director, she has led work with the Sustainable Markets Initiative, collaborating with over 200 CEOs and 20 task forces. With a background spanning the private, public, and non-profit sector, her expertise includes sustainability reporting, public and private partnerships, and corporate governance. Passionate about the sustainability of global food and farming, Charlotte is also part of the Royal Countryside Fund, supporting UK family farm businesses and rural communities, and was recently appointed on the Earthshot Prize’s Expert Advisory Panel.

Mick Wettenhall is a beef, cereals, and cotton farmer from Central West NSW. He is a passionate advocate for global action on climate change and an active proponent in enabling agriculture to play a role in climate change mitigation. Mick is committed to helping the industry progress in carbon sequestration. Mick is the Co-Founder of Loam Bio, Australia’s fastest growing agritech startup, and Founder and Director of SoilCQuest 2031, a non-for-profit organisation.

After managing Citicorp/Citibank, Glenn ventured into founding, acquiring, growing, and selling over 30 businesses. He took charge as Managing Director and major shareholder of Fremantle Octopus Group in 2017.

Glenn restructured and consolidated three Fremantle Octopus entities into one under Fremantle Octopus Group Limited, boosting revenues, acquiring fishing licenses, enhancing patented fishing tech, expanding facilities, and securing more capital. Fremantle Octopus now runs one of two MSC-certified octopus fisheries globally, serving high-end restaurants in Australia and exporting to the USA, Canada, Asia, and Europe, including 600 Coles supermarkets and 400 Whole Foods Markets.

Fremantle Octopus owns 47% of WA Octopus Fishery licenses and won the WA Export Awards 2023 Agribusiness, Food, and Beverages Category, with a 51% export increase in FY23. Fremantle Octopus is Australia’s largest octopus fishing, processing, wholesale, and export business, with the WA Octopus Fisher being identified by DPIRD and FRDC as the fastest growing fishery, of any kind, in Australia.

Sally-Ann Williams drives deep tech ventures addressing global challenges like the future of human health and the climate crisis. She leads a national commercialisation programs, to drive a fundamental shift in Australia’s economic base by increasing the number of R&D-driven businesses. Currently guiding the Pathway to Diversity in STEM Review for the Federal Government, Sally-Ann holds key board and advisory roles in various organizations. Prior to Cicada Innovations, Sally-Ann was Executive Program Manager at Google for 12 years, where she spearheaded initiatives in entrepreneurship and startup engagement, research collaborations with universities, and STEM education and outreach.

With two decades of diverse expertise spanning industry, research, government, and non-profit sectors, Dr Jo Wisdom is a seasoned agricultural professional. Armed with degrees in Agriculture and Anthropology, along with a PhD in Plant Physiology, she is currently pursuing studies in Digital Technology through a Women in STEM Cadetship as well as owning and running Plantagenet, the oldest wine brand in the Great Southern region. Jo is passionate about fostering cross-sectoral dialogues, particularly aimed at formulating challenge-based solutions for a prosperous and sustainable agricultural future.

Peter Wren-Hilton is a successful entrepreneur and founder in the New Zealand and global food and agritech community. As Founder of Wharf42, Peter is committed to strengthening opportunities across the Tasman through increased collaboration and partnership. As a Director of Platform 10, a global framework, Peter is working to accelerate promising biopesticide companies and facilitate market development and adoption. Peter has served on the evokeAG. Steering Committee since 2018.

Olympia Yarger is a pioneer of sustainable food production. A key figure in agricultural sustainability and climate tech, her bold vision is transforming the agrifood supply chain. Goterra uses cutting-edge tech to turn food waste into protein-rich feed and fertiliser. Olympia, has worked as a consultant for government and non-profits, she understands the complexities of navigating regulations and policies, while driving innovation and progress. Olympia’s entrepreneurial spirit and dedication to sustainability have earned her numerous awards and recognition, including being named Australian of the Year for the Australian Capital Territory and having a species of fly named for her by the CSIRO.

Nicole Yazbek-Martin leads the development of the Australian Sustainable Finance Taxonomy working closely with government and regulators, to develop common definitions for sustainable economic activities and investments. As well as a body of work with major finance entities, to integrate nature considerations into financial capital allocation decisions for the agricultural sector. With a background in climate and sustainability across government, banking, private equity and law, Nicole has played a key role in climate policy reviews including of the Emissions Reduction Fund and the Australian Government’s engagement with the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD), representing Australia on the TNFD Stewardship Council. Nicole holds a Master of Laws in international trade and post-graduate qualifications in finance and economics.

Antony Yousefian passionately believes in harnessing technology for a meaningful impact. As a Partner at The First Thirty, he is at the forefront of addressing the critical finance gap in nature-based solutions, channelling investments into early-stage innovators dedicated to regenerating soils and revitalizing natural ecosystems. His journey began in asset management, where he developed a profound commitment to ESG and impact investment. This path led to significant roles in tech, including scaling 30MHz’s agricultural IoT solutions and founding Bx to help farms quantify their ecological footprint. Antony also lends his strategic expertise to Wiliot, focusing on the application of Ambient IoT in the circular economy. Additionally, he supports the Tech Nation Climate Program, the Earth Shot Prize, and chairs the Advisory Board at Agrimetrics.