Nominations open for 2015 agribusiness leadership awards

Nominations open for 2015 agribusiness leadership awards

Nominations have opened for this year’s prestigious Rabobank Leadership Awards – recognising the contribution of outstanding leaders in New Zealand and Australia’s food and agribusiness industries.

The annual awards, which are now in their tenth year, acknowledge the important role played by senior leaders in New Zealand and Australia’s agribusiness and agri-related industries with the Rabobank Leadership Award, which was last year won by the Australian Farm Institute’s Mick Keogh.

A second award category now in its third year, the Rabobank Emerging Leader Award, recognises up-and-coming young leaders in the sector. In 2014, this award went to Bryce Camm from the Camm Agricultural Group.

Both peer-nominated awards are open to nominations from individuals in the agribusiness sector, with judges seeking nominees who create sustainable growth and prosperity at both a corporate and industry level, while demonstrating a wider commitment to society.

Announcing the opening of the nominations, Rabobank Australia & New Zealand Group managing director Thos Gieskes is calling on leaders of the Australasian agribusiness sector to come forward and recognise significant achievers within the industry.

“We recognise the importance of acknowledging those individuals who have gone above and beyond to make a profound and positive difference to the Australian and/or New Zealand food and agricultural industries,” Mr Gieskes said.

“Without clear and innovative leaders, the global food and agribusiness sector will not realise its future potential – and with the demands placed on the sector to do more with less, we must recognise those who have made a significant contribution to position our industry to rise to the challenges ahead.”

Judging criteria for the Rabobank Leadership Award includes:
• significant achievements as a senior leader in building, rejuvenating or expanding a business in the food, agribusiness or beverage sectors;
• developed and communicated a clear vision and direction for sustainable growth and prosperity at both a corporate and industry level and;
• regarded as a good corporate citizen and demonstrates social commitment.

Other past winners of the Rabobank Leadership Award include Sir George Fistonich, founder of Villa Maria Estate in Auckland, Bega Cheese executive chairman Barry Irvin, and Australian pastoralist and company director Nick Burton-Taylor.

Judging criteria for the Rabobank Emerging Leader Award includes:

• up and coming leader, with an industry tenure of ten years or less and;
• significant contribution to the New Zealand and/or Australian food, beverage and agribusiness sectors.

Nominations for both awards can be made via the Rabobank Leadership Awards website at: https://rabobankleadershipawards.com/about-nomination, with nominations closing on Tuesday June 30.

The award winners will be announced at the annual Rabobank Leadership Dinner, to be held in Melbourne at The Peak, Flemington Racecourse on Thursday October 22.

ENDS

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