Speaker Biographies NZX Agribusiness Conference, Taupo 2010

Robert Swan

Robert Swan OBE has shown that individuals have the power to overcome obstacles and achieve their goals through perseverance, determination and commitment, being he first man in history to have walked to both the North and South Poles.

During his expeditions, Swan experienced firsthand the effects of global warming at both Poles. In Antarctica, his eyes forever changed color after prolonged exposure under the hole in the ozone layer. In the Arctic, his team survived near-death encounters in a melting ocean, prematurely caused by global warming.

These powerful experiences only helped to shape and focus Swan’s lifetime goal: working towards the preservation of Antarctica as the last great wilderness on earth.

Currently Robert Swan, OBE is on a five-year global ‘Voyage for Cleaner Energy’ aboard his renewable energy sailboat, which will conclude at the third World Summit, currently expected to take place in Singapore. Swan aims to showcase sustainable living practices and transport alternatives that run solely on renewable energy.

Swan’s contribution to education and the environment has been recognized on an international scale, seen through his appointment as United Nations Goodwill Ambassador for Youth and Special Envoy to the Director General of UNESCO. He was awarded the high distinction of OBE, Officer of the Order of the British Empire, as well as the Polar Medal by Her Majesty the Queen.

Regarded by many as one of the world’s top motivational speakers, his experiences from the past 25 years have evolved into an exceptional and dramatic story of success, failure, the ability to learn from one’s mistakes and ultimately, inspiring others to pursue their dreams.

In his talks, Robert Swan emphasizes the importance of inspiration, leadership and teamwork. His unique insights from expeditions to the world’s most hazardous locations help Swan to engage, educate and stimulate his global audiences.

His inspirational message wins countless standing ovations from audiences of all ages and encourages corporations to invite him back year after year to inspire their new and established employees alike. Today he continues to inspire, involve and charge young leaders from around the world by challenging them to make a difference, and demonstrating to them that anything is possible with vision, passion and patience.

Robert is a captivating and dynamic motivational speaker, with amazing stories to share.

Professor David Hughes

Dr David Hughes, Emeritus Professor of Food Marketing at the Imperial College in London. An International Expert on Global Food Indusrty Developments from consumer, grocery retail and food service towards one end of the value chain to life science companies at the other, and everything in between.

Dr Hughes consults with senior directors and managers of food and beverage companies, R&D organisations, farmer-owned businesses, government and others and helps them work out the commercial implications of change in their industry and how they might respond to combat threats and embrace opportunities.

His presentation will focus around the threats and opportunities in the global market from a New Zealand perspective.

Sonia Williams

Sonia Williams is the author of four bestselling books on business and entrepreneurship.

A Mum of two Sonia is a Certified Practising Accountant (CPA). She has worked in all areas of business: public, private sectors, manufacturing and government and has worked for small and large prestigious accounting firms. She has held positions with well-known worldwide manufacturers and worked for a large Victorian government organization. Finally and most importantly she has established several successful small business. She knows what it takes to start a business, the common pitfalls.

In April 2008, Sonia self published her own magazine, titled Show Mummy the Money, which was available on line and through news agencies Australia wide. Sonia single handily self publish three editions, before sadly due to the economic crisis, Sonia had to make a commercial decision about the viability of the magazine. Whilst temporarily shelving her magazine for a more fruitful time, Sonia returned to her roots, starting her own bookkeeping business, Amounts that Count.

In 2008 & 2009 Sonia was nominated for the Telstra Business Woman’s Awards.

Dave Hadfield

Dave Hadfield (M.A. Psychology) is one of New Zealand’s best known and most experienced mental skills trainers and high performance consultants. Originally a farmer, then a musician; and previously a University lecturer in coaching, sport psychology and leadership, Dave has since spent 4 years working both for Wellington and Hurricanes Rugby and formed his own company, MindPlus, in 2003. He developed his Query Theory approach to coaching many years ago and describes his coaching philosophy as “A caring guide to self-discovery and improvement”.

He currently works extensively in NZ sport (primarily for NZ Rugby & NZ Cycling), consulting to both elite athletes and coaches throughout the country. He has worked with 4 Super 14 teams in the last 7 years (primarily the Crusaders) and the NZ Sevens team and is currently working with the NZ track cycling team.

Dave also holds elite level III coaching qualifications from New Zealand Cricket and the Australian Cricket Board and was a Central Districts senior selector in 2005. He has also worked off-shore for the English Rugby Union, Warwickshire Country cricket team (2007) and the French rugby team Clermont Auvergne (top 14 finalists the last 3 years). He also works with corporates, in the rural sector and has worked with the NZ Police.

Dave is an innovative thinker, a provocative, humorous and lively presenter who is in high demand as a speaker and consultant throughout New Zealand and off-shore.

Mark Weldon

Mark Weldon has been CEO of NZX since June 2002. In this time he has led NZX through its
transformation from a mutual to a listed company, changed the exchange’s overall strategic
approach, brought strongly home the relevance of capital markets to New Zealand, and had
significant influence on national policies.

NZX’s strategy is building and growing markets and expertise is applied across the securities,
energy and agribusiness sectors.

Professional
Prior to returning to New Zealand, Mark spent nine years in New York, where he
worked first as a mergers and acquisitions attorney with Skadden, Arps, and
subsequently for McKinsey & Company.

Academic
Mark has a Juris Doctor degree from Columbia University, New York; a Diploma in
International Law (Hon) also from Columbia; a Masters degree (1st Class Honours) in
Economics; and Bachelor degrees in both Commerce and Arts from the University of
Auckland.

Sport
Mark was also an Olympic swimmer, having competed for New Zealand at the 1992
Barcelona Olympic Games, and the Commonwealth Games.

Leadership
Auckland Distinguished Alumni; Sir Peter Blake Trust; New Zealand-Australia
Leadership Forum; Capital Markets Taskforce; Climate Change Leadership Team;
Chair of Prime Minister's Summit on Employment 2009.

Collier Isaacs

Graduated from Massey University in 1989 with B Ag Sci and Dip BS. Employed at the NZ Game Industry Board in 1989 as Assistant to the General Manager.

Held various roles including managing promotion, QA and R&D for venison and velvet. Concluded employment at the end of 2000 as Chief Executive.

Employed by Meat NZ as General Manager – Market Services from 2001 through 2002. Responsible for promotion of NZ beef and lamb.

Employed by Landcorp Farming in 2002 as Manager – Corporate Strategy. Appointed to new role of National Manager – Services and Strategy in Sept 2007.

This position has national responsibility for strategy, new business development, R&D, marketing, procurement, training and QA.

Chris Moore and Clinton Beuvink

Nosh Food Market is a new market-style concept in Grocery Shopping, bringing together the authenticity and expertise of butchery, bakery, delicatessen,and green grocery and more under one roof. Nosh focuses on quality fresh food and produce at affordable market prices appealing to modern household shoppers.

Having grown rapidly since inception, Nosh now employs over 140 staff,including 14 qualified butchers & 5 apprentices through its Black Rock Butchery brand. As part of their butchery offer they desire to source protein direct from farms and brand them to distinguish the product as higher quality and consistency. They currently source lamb direct from farm and are seeking to broaden this to other meat types.

Nosh has stores located in Glen Innes, Greenlane, Mt Eden, Ponsonby and Matakana and are active in sourcing additional outlets.

The Nosh concept was created by Clinton Beuvink and Chris Moore in 2006following extensive and wide ranging grocery and retail marketing and management experience with large international branded goods companies such as Lion Nathan, Mars Inc, Goodman Fielder, and Unilever. They will share some interesting insights as both corporate & private business players &what it takes (in their view) to get ahead in the world of food retailing.

Julia Hoare

Julia has been a partner with PricewaterhouseCoopers for over 16 years focusing extensively on climate change, carbon, tax policy and legislative issues. She is extensively involved in climate change policy and was on the Government's Leadership Forum on Climate Change. She also participates on working groups considering business opportunities, complimentary measures, the voluntary market and emission unit allocations to industry.

She works with NZ businesses assisting them with carbon management strategies, carbon footprints, verification, compliance, assessing the impact of carbon on a business' value, ETS advice and carbon credit trading and creation.

Julia's presentation will outline the governments ETS, how it impacts NZ farmers and what opprtunities there are for farmers to mitigate potential costs.

Scott Champion

Dr Scott Champion has been the Chief Executive Officer for Meat & Wool New Zealand since September 2008.

Before this role Dr Champion was the General Manager, Market Access and Services with Meat & Wool New Zealand and prior to that, he was the Research, Development and Product Innovation Manager with The New Zealand Merino Company Ltd in Christchurch.

Dr Champion was a lecturer in animal production and related subjects at the School of Agricultural Science, University of Tasmania and had a research group leadership role within the Tasmanian Institute of Agricultural Research.

Dr Champion holds a PhD from the University of New South Wales. His thesis looked at sheep nutrition and its impact on wool growth.

Tim Deane

Tim Deane joined Fonterra in September 2007. As General Manager Milk Supply, Tim and his team are responsible for growing a sustainable and safe milk supply and ensuring the Fonterra shareholder relationship delivers competitive advantage and value.

After graduating from Lincoln, Tim spent five years working for the New Zealand Dairy Board and has subsequently held a number of senior general management roles in the pharmaceutical, agriculture and financial services sectors in New Zealand.

Hinerangi Edwards

Chair, Parininihi Ki Waitotara (PKW) Trust

Hinerangi has a background in business, career development and training, and is involved in hapu and iwi activities. PKW, is a Taranaki based land incorporation managing leases over 18,000 hectares of productive farm land, operating 14 dairy farms and dairy farm partnerships in New Zealand and Australia, and other commercial interests. Hinerangi’s speech will focus on the vision and importance of Maori corporate land ownership from a PKW perspective, as well as strengths, challenges and opportunities for collaboration with others in agribusiness.

Lake Taupo Water Panel

Stewart F Ledgard

Dr Stewart Ledgard is a team leader and active researcher examining the effects of agriculture on environmental emissions. He is recognised for his applied research on nitrogen cycling and losses, and on greenhouse gas footprinting in agricultural systems. Stewart leads a national research programme on nitrogen management to meet water quality targets. He also leads New Zealand’s research on greenhouse gas or carbon footprinting of pastoral agricultural products using Life Cycle Assessment methods in partnership with industry and MAF.  Stewart has over 150 refereed scientific papers and is a fellow of the NZ Society of Soil Science.

Mike Barton

With wife Sharon farm 142 ha on the Western side of Lake Taupo as a beef finishing unit.  

It is in the final year of a four year trial by AgResearch into “Options for beef productivity gains under a nitrogen cap”.

From 2006 -2009  Chaired  Taupo Lake Care Inc. (TLC), the group representing the majority of private farmers and Maori Economic Authority Farmers in the catchment. TLC has negotiated with Environment Waikato since 2000 over the legislation capping Nitrogen emissions from farming.

In 2005 completed a Masters of Business Administration (MBA) with a research project that discussed ‘The Implications of a Nitrogen Cap on Farming Businesses in the Taupo Catchment’.

In 2010 appointed a trustee of the Lake Taupo Protection Trust which has responsibility for reducing nitrogen inflows from farming into Lake Taupo by 20 %.

Justine Young

Bachelor of Science (Zoology) (Massey University) and a Master of Science (Resource Management) (Lincoln University) (1993).

Since 1998 employed by Waikato Regional Council (WRC) as a senior policy advisor in the Policy and Strategy Group, responsible for the formulation of WRC policy with respect to land and water quality issues including the Waikato Regional Plan. During that time  worked on the water module of the Regional Plan from Council notification to decision. In 1999,  began assisting with reviewing policy to address Lake Taupo water quality issues. Involved in setting up and facilitating the consultation process with individuals and groups in the Taupo catchment. Directly responsible for the team drafting policy on Waikato Regional Plan Variation 5 – Lake Taupo Catchment (RPV5) and managed the First Schedule process. Currently, co-ordinating the water and rural land use aspects of the second Waikato Regional Policy Statement.

David Steele

David has worked in financial markets as an investment and financial advisor for more than a decade.  He joined Forsyth Barr as an investment advisor in 2005, making the move from advising institutions to looking after private clients.

Before joining Forsyth Barr, David managed global merger & acquisition projects for Fonterra, overseeing a number of completed transactions.

David previously advised many of New Zealand’s largest public listed companies while an investment banker at Credit Suisse First Boston.   David acted on a range of merger & acquisition, debt and equity capital market transactions including the NZ$5.6 billion sale of Fletcher Challenge Paper to Norske Skog, the creation of Meridian Energy from the split-up of Electricity Corporation of New Zealand, the $1.2 billion spin-out of Fletcher Building and the NZ$94 million IPO of Frucor Beverages for Bain Capital and partners.

Paul Featherstone

Paul has spent the last 35 years perfecting skills in the recovery and care of people in life threatening situations, placing his own life at risk on countless occasions in order to save the lives of others.

Joining the NSW Ambulance Service in 1972, Paul pioneered the Ambulance Service’s acclaimed Paramedic system in 1976.  He conceived and developed the Special Casualty Access Team (S.C.A.T.) in 1986, and has since been a team leader in developing patient access methods and high levels of care under hostile environments.

Paul has developed unique training methods in high-risk areas based on “real world” experience, with strong emphasis on self-motivation and teamwork.  This is where Paul now focuses a great deal of his time and energy as a SCAT instructor in order to pass on his vast knowledge and skills in the training of new team members.

Twice the recipient of the Ambulance Service’s highest award for bravery, the Distinguished Service Medal, the Australian Bravery Medal, the Humane Society’s Bronze, Silver and Gold Medals, Prince Phillip Helicopter Rescue Award and the Ambulance Service Medal as part of the 2007 Queen’s Birthday Honour List.

Major Emergency Events

In addition to regular Paramedic duties, Paul has played a role in aiding multiple victims from the following major emergencies.

• Savoy Hotel Fire 1975.
• Granville Rail Crash 1977
• Lewisham Hospital Fire 1980.
• Royal National Park Bush Fires 1986.
• Nyngan Flood 1990.
• Forbes Flood 1990.
• Thredbo Disaster 1997.
• Wingella Fires 1998.
• Special Response Operations for the Olympic Games.(Aquatic, Helicopter, C.B.R. Crowds, V.I.P. & Terrorist). 2000
• Black Xmas Fires, remote teams.2002
• Bali Bombing 2002
• December fires 2002
• Waterfall Rail Disaster 2003
• Beaconsfield Mine Rescue 2006
• Industrial accidents / protracted entrapments 2009