Robert (Bob) Officer

Chairman

BAgSc., MAgrEcon., MBA, PhD

Melbourne, Vic

Bob has a degree in Agricultural Science, a Masters Degree in Agricultural Economics and was awarded an overseas scholarship to the University of Chicago where he completed an MBA and PhD.  He had a decorated career in Academia, initially at the University of Queensland, and then held Chairs at Monash and Melbourne University, respectively. He has also been a Visiting Professor at the Universities of Stanford, Wharton and Rochester. He is a Member of the Order of Australia (AM).

He has been Chairman of Victorian Funds Management Corporation, Chair of Victorian WorkCover Authority, a director of Transurban Ltd, Bank of Melbourne, Transport Accident Commission, Investment Committee of UniSuper. He Chaired the Commissions of Audit for the Kennett and Howard governments. He assisted both Federal and State (Victorian) Labor Parties in the costings of their policies in the immediate past elections.

He is Chair of Acorn Capital and on the Boards of infrastructure group CP2 and Growth Factor, a factoring and lending company.

His other pursuits include farming in North East Victoria where he breeds Wagyu cattle.

Sean Williams

Director & Chief Executive Officer

BBus, CA

Melbourne, Vic

Sean is Chief Executive Officer of Growth Farms Pty Ltd, a company that specialises in the acquisition and management of agricultural investments in Australia on behalf of separate account and pooled fund investors. The business currently manages over AU$400m of assets across a diverse range of sectors including broad-acre row cropping, sheep, beef, cotton and sugar.   He was appointed a Director and Chief Executive Officer in April 2020.

Sean is an experienced senior executive who has had a successful career across the supply chain, health, pharmaceutical and investment management sectors.  The earlier parts of Sean’s career were spent in senior operational and finance roles with large multi-national and listed local companies, having initially commenced his career with an international accounting firm. He also spent a number of years working in private equity and with private equity investments.  Sean’s recent career has focussed on entrepreneurial ventures, including as a business owner, founder and CEO of successful businesses featuring management buy-outs, business mergers and start-ups.

David Sackett

Director & Senior Portfolio Manager
Institutional Investors

BVSc. MVS. FACVSc

Sydney, NSW

David is Senior Portfolio Manager – Institutional Investors for Growth Farms, having been previously Managing Director of Growth Farms Pty Ltd from 2008 until April 2020. Prior to joining Growth Farms, David was a founding partner of Holmes Sackett and Associates, committing over twenty years to the business as it developed into the leading agricultural consulting business in South East Australia. He was also a board member of two Australian Co-operative Research Centres (Sheep and Future Farm Industries) and Proway Livestock Equipment. David currently sits on several other company boards related to agriculture and has contributed widely to agriculture related activities including Advisory role to Aust Wool Innovation, Chairman Fred Morley Centre (Charles Sturt University), Adjunct Senior Lecturer (Charles Sturt University), Peter Westblade Scholarship and the Advisory Board of the Australian Farm Institute.

Warwick Johnson

Non-executive Director

Richard Taylor

Non-executive Director

BVSc. MVS.

Nimmitabel, NSW

Richard brings extensive experience in agricultural asset acquisition and management to Growth Farms. Along with being a founder and director of Growth Farms in the early 2000’s, Richard has worked closely with MH Premium Farms where he was instrumental in building the client’s portfolio to over $300M and was responsible for the acquisition and management of more than 40 properties.

After completing his Masters in Veterinary Science at Melbourne University, where he also worked as a consultant with the Mackinnon Project for 2 years, Richard returned to his family agricultural business in the 1990s. Since this time, the business has tripled in size to 120,000 dry sheep equivalents running over 17,500 hectares, with a strong focus on pasture production. His knowledge and interest in livestock production and genetics has been a key advantage to the business, as well as the portfolio that Richard manages outside of his family business.

Richard is continuously building his knowledge in the agriculture sector and keeping up to date with emerging technology and production techniques. He achieves this through his involvement in several of the industry’s leading organisations, including currently serving as the chairman of MH Premium Farms, He is a Director and past Chairman of Monaro Farming Systems, is currently Chairman of the Next Generation Forecasting project, a consortium of CSIRO, farming groups, and LLS and also a director of Discovery Ag, an Agtech start-up focused on water measurement, management, and decision making.

Ron Hollands

Company Secretary

BBus. MBA, Grad. Dip Corporate Governance, CA.

Sydney, NSW

Ron is currently the Company Secretary of Ashley Services Group Ltd (ASH) and Real Energy Corporation Limited (RLE) and formerly the Company Secretary of IOT Group Limited (IOT) and CFO and Company Secretary of Wentworth Holdings Limited (WWM). He is a Chartered Accountant with over 30 years’ experience in accounting, corporate finance and company secretarial matters. His career includes working in professional accounting firms and acting as Company Secretary and/or CFO for a number of companies in a range of industries. He also holds a Certificate of Public Practice and is registered tax agent.

Mathew Gaukroger

Portfolio Manager

B.Rur.Sc. Grad. Cert. (Cotton)

Moree, NSW
Mathew is a Portfolio Manager based at the Moree office in the northern NSW. He manages a portfolio of properties in the Liverpool Plains, Namoi Valley and Burdekin regions. Mathew’s area of expertise is in agronomy and irrigation management. Mathew trained as an agronomist in Western NSW focusing on cotton and grain production. Mathew’s previous roles include Senior Agronomist, Operations Manager and General Manager for Clyde Agriculture. He has had experience managing each facet of cotton production including the administration of a three stand cotton gin. Mathew specialises in building businesses that are based on systems and processes, which drive operational efficiencies and result in optimal returns

Jon Harpley

Portfolio Manager

App. Sc

Coolac, NSW

As a Portfolio Manager and previous director of Growth Farms , Jon manages Growth Farms livestock and cropping properties in Southern and Central NSW. Jon previously had experience in the red meat industry, working for AUSMEAT, the Meat Research Corporation and the Victorian Department of Agriculture. He has also been involved in the quality assurance, product control, packaging, marketing and logistics process with Power Horticulture, at the time the largest asparagus operation in NSW. His knowledge of farms and financial management complements his considerable ability in running productive livestock and cropping enterprises and provides expert input into due diligence on potential acquisitions.

Richard Manion

Portfolio Manager

Farm Management.

Holbrook, NSW

Richard is a Portfolio Manager at Growth Farms, based near Albury in Southern NSW. He manages properties in southern NSW, South Australia and Gippsland Victoria with a focus on wool, prime lamb and beef production including pivot irrigation used for livestock finishing and hay production. Richard’s relationship with Growth Farms began in 2010 and in 2012 he became the farm manager at Bowna, NSW for a Growth Farms client before becoming a Portfolio Manager for Growth Farms in 2016. Richard has a Bachelor of Farm Management from CSU.

Andrew Fuller

Junior Portfolio Manager

Agriculture and Resource Economics

Moree, NSW

Andrew is a junior portfolio manager for Growth Farms based out of Moree in Northern NSW.

Andrew’s primary focus is managing livestock, grain and cotton assets in Northern NSW. Andrew also performs a broader analytical role within the Growth Farms portfolio undertaking production and financial modelling.

Andrew began his career in agribusiness working for one of the big four banks in South West Queensland where he finished managing a portfolio of beef and grain clients. After this Andrew than had a stint as a commodity broker based in Northern NSW focusing on grain and cotton for the domestic and export market. Andrew holds a bachelor of Agriculture and Resource Economics from the University of New England.

Georgie Hood

Finance

Bombala, NSW

Georgie is the Finance and Office Manager at Growth Farms. She is responsible for quality control, procedural improvements and office administration. She has developed and maintains the financial management and reporting systems for the business. Prior to her position at Growth Farms, Georgie worked for Boyce and Co, a well respected accounting business with a  strong focus on agriculture. While there she played a major part in producing the first Monaro Grazing Comparative Analysis of farm enterprises. Georgie has an eye for detail and a talent for inclusive leadership.