AgriTechNZ is pleased to announce its 2021/22 Executive Council and lead roles. Kenneth Irons, MD of Precision Farming, has been re-elected Chair for a second term, and Sophie Rebbeck, Lincoln Agritech, has been re-elected to the Corporate Other seat and also elected Deputy Chair. New members joining the EC are Bridgit Hawkins (CropX) and Juliet Ansell (Zespri). The healthy competition for these three elected seats came from 17 nominations, a sign of the significant industry engagement in developing our ecosystem and realising the full potential of agritech to and from Aotearoa.
The EC, who met in Wellington for a full-day strategy session on 3 August, setting the direction for AgriTechNZ for the coming year, are from left, seated, Brendan O’Connell, AgriTechNZ CEO; Kenneth Irons, Chair, AgriTechNZ, representing SME; and Sophie Rebbeck, Deputy Chair. Standing, Peter Nation, CEO of National Fieldays representing Corporate Other; Juliet Ansell representing Major Corporates; Kylie Horomia, WayBeyond, co-representing Independents, Dr Haydn Read, Te Apanui, representing Iwi; Maria Jose Alvarez, NZ Capital Growth Partners, co-representing Independents; Bridgit Hawkins, representing SME; Graeme Muller, CEO NZ Tech; and Dan O’Brien, AWS, representing Major Corporates. Also on the EC, not photographed, are Andrew Hoggard, National President, Federated Farmers, representing Farmer/Practitioners; and Simon Yarrow, Callaghan Innovation, representing Government.