Nominations open for prestigious leadership award

Media Release July 11, 2013 1

Nominations open for prestigious agribusiness leadership awards

Nominations are now open for the prestigious annual Rabobank Leadership Award – a key recognition of achievement in, and contribution to, New Zealand and Australia’s food, beverage and agribusiness sectors.

The annual award – now in its eighth year in its current format – acknowledges excellence among the senior leaders of New Zealand and Australia’s agribusiness and agri-related industries.

This year, for the first time, Rabobank is running two categories for the awards: The Rabobank Leadership Award; and a new award for an Emerging Agribusiness Leader.

Rabobank Australia & New Zealand CEO Thos Gieskes said the awards were an important initiative for Rabobank, as a global leader in food and agribusiness banking, to recognise outstanding achievements in the sector.

“The food and agribusiness sectors are of vital importance to our lives and make an enormous contribution to the economy. As such, we believe it is extremely important to acknowledge the extraordinary efforts of those who are leading these important industries forward,” Mr Gieskes said.

“This year, for the first time, we will also be recognising the up-and-coming leaders emerging in the sector with a clear vision for sustainable growth and prosperity at both a corporate and industry level.”

Agribusiness industry participants are invited to nominate leaders in the industry they believe deserving of the awards. Nominations can be made via Rabobank’s website: http://rabobankleadershipaward.com/.

Past Leadership Award winners include pastoralist and company director Nick Burton-Taylor and Bega Cheese executive chairman Barry Irvin, while last year’s recipient was Dr Jim Peacock – Australia’s former Chief Scientist and currently Fellow and Chair of CSIRO’s Office of the Chief Executive Science Team.

Judging criteria for the Rabobank Leadership Award include: significant achievement as a senior leader in building, rejuvenating, or expanding a business in the food, agribusiness or beverage sectors; development and communication of a clear vision and direction for sustainable growth and prosperity at both a corporate and industry level; and outstanding corporate citizenship and demonstrated social commitment. Judging criteria for the Rabobank Emerging Agribusiness Leader Award includes the above, yet within a career spanning less than 10 years.

This year’s award winners will be announced on October 17 at the Rabobank Leadership Dinner to be held at the Member’s Dining Room at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

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