Cathy McGowan AO
Chair
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Our people
Our people
With a head office in Wagga Wagga, NSW, we are a team of approximately 60 people spread across Australia’s metropolitan, rural and regional areas. We share a passionate commitment to our values: we are connected, positive, real and future thinking.
In order to create tangible value for our levy payers and stakeholders, collaboration is critical to how we work. Partnerships allow us to bring together different capabilities, knowledge, skills and experience to facilitate the wider adoption of research outputs and outcomes. Some of our stakeholders include our levied industries, other RDCs, industry panels, industry representative organisations and research partners. Steering our organisation, the AgriFutures Australia Board provide strong leadership and strategic direction.
Board of Directors
The AgriFutures Australia Board consists of seven Non-Executive Directors including a Chairperson and one Executive Director (the Managing Director). With a firm pulse on our values – connected, positive, real and future thinking – our skilled and passionate Board sets our strategic direction and monitors our ongoing performance. Working under our Statutory Framework, the Board is responsible for ensuring AgriFutures Australia fulfills its statutory functions in a proper, efficient, and effective manner, including by determining the objectives, strategies and policies to be followed by it.
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Cathy McGowan AO
Chair
Appointed 11/01/2023.
Cathy is an experienced company director with an extensive career in business, agricultural research, development, extension and politics.
As a graduate of the Australian Rural Leadership Program, Cathy committed to the vision of a “prosperous caring rural Australia alive with opportunities for everyone”. She believes Agrifutures Australia is the premier national organisation for delivering on her commitment, particularly helping build a nation with effective rural policies based on prosperous and caring industries.
Prior to her role at AgriFutures Australia, her career highlights include representing the rural electorate of Indi in Parliament from 2013- 2019, president of the peak national organisation Australian Women in Agriculture, Chair of national Regional Women’s Advisory Council and a community representative at the 4th Ministerial meeting of the WTO in Doha.
Cathy lives in the Indigo Valley, Dudwroa & Dhargal country where the community groups play a vital role enhancing sustainability within the Murray Darling system.
BA., Dip Ed., Ma Ag and Rural Development, The Australian Rural Leadership Program- Graduate C 3, Churchill Fellow 1990, Doctor of letters (honoris causa) Western Sydney University, Officer in the Order of Australia 2004, Vice Chancellor’s Fellow La Trobe University
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Mr John Harvey
Executive Director and Managing Director
Appointed 03/05/2016.
Mr John Harvey joined AgriFutures Australia (formally RIRDC) in May 2016 as Managing Director. He accepted the challenge to set a new, more commercial direction for the organisation.
Mr Harvey aims to make AgriFutures Australia a change agent for transforming existing industries with new technologies and seeding new, high value industries that ensure Australian agriculture continues to grow.
Prior to this appointment, Mr Harvey held various positions at the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) spanning 18 years, including five years as Managing Director.
A graduate member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, Mr Harvey was a Director of Australian Crop Accreditation System Limited and a Director of the Value Added Wheat Cooperative Research Centre.
He has served on the boards of Pulse Breeding Australia, Barley Breeding Australia and the National Soybean Breeding Program. He was also a member of the Australian Winter Cereals Pre-Breeding Alliance and the CRC for Plant Based Management of Dryland Salinity.
BSc (Rural) Hons (University of New England), Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
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Professor Andrew Harris
Non-Executive Director
Appointed 1/10/2020 until 1/10/2023.
PhD, BEng, BSc, CEng, FIChemE, CPEng, FIEAust, FICE, NER, RPEQ, MAICD
Andrew is a Professor of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at The University of Sydney, and the Australian director of Laing O’Rourke’s future engineering and innovation consultancy, the Engineering Excellence Group.
Laing O’Rourke is Australia’s largest private engineering and construction business, with local turnover of ~$3 bn p.a. Throughout his career he has worked at the interface between industry and academia. He is an expert in disruptive innovation, with deep expertise of digital, the internet of things, advanced materials, robotics, automation, artificial intelligence, big data, the future of work, biomimetics, smart cities and disruptive technology incubation and acceleration applied to traditional infrastructure, engineering, energy, resources and manufacturing sectors.
Andrew was recognised as one of Australia’s 50 most innovative engineers by peak body Engineers Australia in 2016. He is a Chartered Engineer and Fellow of the Institution of Chemical Engineers (IChemE), Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) and Engineers Australia (IEAust).
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Danny Le Feuvre
Deputy Chair and Non-Executive Director
Appointed 1/10/2020 until 1/10/2023.
Danny Le Feuvre is the founding and current managing director of Australian Bee Services (ABS), an apicultural company based in South Australia. He holds a B.app.Sc from University of Melbourne, M.Agribus from University of Adelaide and is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Danny has been involved in the primary industries his whole career, with a background in agricultural science, RD&E experience and agribusiness consultancy experience and most recently creating the apicultural business ABS.
He volunteers in a number of industry roles including an executive member of Australian Honey Bee Industry Council (AHBIC) and a member of the Hort Innovation Expert Advisory Panel.
He is passionate about rural industries and creating a stronger more vibrant rural Australia and brings to this role a deep and practical understanding of the levied industries.
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Harjeet Khanna
Non-Executive Director
Dr Harjeet Khanna is an internationally renowned agricultural scientist with over 35 years’ experience in impactful change. From developing the world’s first Fusarium-resistant bananas to spearheading high-impact research programs across three continents, her career has been a testament to her dedication to food security.
As a former Executive Manager at Sugar Research Australia (SRA), she brings rich cross-RDC experience and expertise in strategic R&D management. Her nearly ten-year association with AgriFutures Australia, including recent advisory roles on emerging industries, ginger, and rice panels, further demonstrate her commitment to diverse agricultural spheres.
Harjeet’s experience includes overseeing major research initiatives, managing multi-million-dollar budgets, and leading research teams to achieve impactful outcomes. Her passion for collaboration and her ability to thrive in complex environments have fuelled her success in various leadership roles across diverse organisations in India, Africa, and Australia.
A graduate member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and a member of the Academic Board of Astra Institute of Higher Education, Dr Khanna is a thought leader committed to fostering the next generation of agricultural scientists. She leads with vision and values, inspiring those around her to tackle the world’s most pressing food challenges through innovative science and collaborative action.
BSc (Botany) Hons (Delhi University), MSc Genetics (Delhi University), PhD Agricultural Botany (CCS University India and Cambridge University UK), Grad Cert in Research Management (Southern Cross University), Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
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Emeritus Professor Julie Cotter
Non-Executive Director
Julie is an experienced company director and innovation leader who works at the intersection of R&D and commercial value creation. She believes that science and technology are vital to achieving prosperity for Australia’s rural industries; addressing key challenges in ways that increase productivity, profitability, and sustainability.
Julie has held positions with large vertically integrated agribusinesses including Chair of Stahmann Webster’s Farming Technology Group and as a member of Australian Agricultural Company’s (AACo) Scientific Advisory Board. These corporate agribusiness roles built on Julie’s substantial university career at UniSQ where she led a research centre focused on innovation in agribusiness and supply chains. Julie was awarded the honorary title of Professor Emeritus in April 2018 in acknowledgement of outstanding scholarly and industry contributions.
Julie has a finance background and over 10 years’ experience as a Non-Executive Director. A graduate of the AICD Company Directors Course and Mastering the Boardroom program, Professor Cotter is a member of the Darling Downs Hospital and Health Board and Chairs its Audit and Risk Committee. Previous Board director roles include Exercise and Sports Science Australia, Toowoomba and Surat Basin Enterprise, and West Moreton Hospital and Health Service.
Julie lives in Toowoomba, a major Queensland hub for agriculture, food processing and agtech innovation.
PhD (University of Qld), B.Commerce (Hons) (University of Qld), GAICD, FCPA, CA.
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Matt Macfarlane
Non-Executive Director
Matt is the non-executive Chair of icetana (ASX:ICE) an AI-first video analytics company serving the global security industry, having previously served as CEO when the company went public on the ASX.
Matt has been a Non-Executive Director of the Australian Export Grains Innovation Centre (AEGIC) since its founding in 2012. He is also the Chair of PetRescue, a not-for-profit charity helping rescue pets find new homes through innovative technology solutions.
Prior to moving to Non-Executive roles, Matt spent 11 years in Europe working in mergers and acquisitions, co-founded a $40m venture capital fund in Perth and contributed to early stage startups as an angel investor and mentor.
He is a passionate advocate for the knowledge economy and commercialisation of great ideas through amazing people.
BCom (University of Western Australia), Member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants and Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors
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Cindy Cassidy
Non-Executive Director
Appointed 1/10/2020 until 1/10/2023.
Cindy is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and she has graduate and post graduate qualifications in science and agriculture. Her 25+ year career includes research and business management at some of Australia’s largest agribusinesses along with working in regional NSW as CEO of a not for profit farming systems group – Temora based, FarmLink Research.
In 2015 Cindy received the RIRDC (Agrifutures) NSW/ACT Rural Women’s award and used the award to explore national and international approaches to agricultural innovation and on farm adoption of change.
Cindy was recently appointed as the Director of the Southern NSW Drought Resilience and Innovation Hub, where her extensive networks and long history in the agriculture are being called on to help shape this next phase of innovation in the sector.
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Andrew Campbell
Non-Executive Director
Andrew is an elected Fellow of the Australian Academy for Technology and Engineering, a Professorial Fellow at the Australian National University Fenner School, a Principal Fellow in the Faculty of Science at the University of Melbourne, and a Fellow of the Australian Institute for Company Directors.
He retired in August after seven years as CEO of the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR), reporting to the Foreign Minister.
Among influential roles in sustainable agriculture and research management in Australia for over 30 years, Andrew was Australia’s first National Landcare Facilitator, and CEO of Land & Water Australia. Most recently, he was Interim Executive Managing Director of the CGIAR. He chaired the Global Research Alliance on Agricultural Greenhouse Gases in 2020-2021.
Andrew has served on the boards of the Peter Cullen Trust, and the Future Farm Industries CRC. He chaired the Board of the Terrestrial Ecosystem Research Network and has previously served as President of the Australian Council for Environmental Deans and Directors.
Professor Campbell is an elected Fellow of the Australian Academy for Technology and Engineering, a Professorial Fellow at the Australian National University Fenner School, a Principal Fellow in the Faculty of Science at the University of Melbourne, and a Fellow of the Australian Institute for Company Directors.
Andrew has written widely on landcare, sustainability and the science-policy interface. He is still involved in his family farm in western Victoria, where his family has been farming since the 1860s.
Dip.For. Creswick, B.For.Sc (Hons) Melbourne, MSc (Distinction) Wageningen
Leadership Team
Championing the AgriFutures Australia values, our Leadership Team drives the operations and teams behind our organisation’s Strategic Plan. The Board appoints the Managing Director and reporting to the Managing Director are the General Managers for: Corporate, Research, Business Development and Communications & Capacity Building. The Leadership Team are committed to driving a high-performance culture through their skills, knowledge and commitment to the organisation.
Belinda Allitt
Acting General Manager, Levied and Emerging Industries
Acting General Manager, Rural Futures
Louise Heaslip
General Manager, Corporate
Jennifer Galloway
Acting General Manager, Workforce, Communications and Adoption
Advisory Panels
AgriFutures Australia is committed to working with industry to deliver the research and development outcomes that meet rural Australia’s needs. We work closely with Advisory Panels to decide on research priorities and to make investment decisions each year.
Members of AgriFutures Australia’s Advisory Panels are selected following an open call process which involves a competitive skills-based assessment and/or consultation with key industry bodies and stakeholders. The successful applicants are appointed to the respective Advisory Panel by the Managing Director of AgriFutures Australia. Applicants are required to declare any actual or perceived conflict of interest to the AgriFutures Australia Managing Director prior to appointment. Any subsequent conflicts of interest are managed in accordance with the Corporation’s Conflict of Interest Policy.
The term of appointment of Advisory Panel members is initially for three years, with a maximum of two consecutive terms being applicable to any members of the Advisory Panel. However, it may be necessary to retain members for more than two, three year terms to ensure the availability of particular scarce expertise. Where possible, to maintain continuity of corporate knowledge on an Advisory Panel, only up to half the membership of an Advisory Panel are changed at any one time.
The operational AgriFutures Australia’s Advisory Panels is at all times consistent with the Corporation’s charter under the Primary Industries Research and Development Act (PIRD Act) and AgriFutures Australia’s Strategic Research and Development Plan. Functions of the Advisory panels include:
- Advising on applications for RD&E support in accordance with the objectives and strategies in the Five Year Plans and Corporation guidelines
- Advising on, and assisting in, the dissemination, adoption and commercialisation of the results of the RD&E activity
- Monitoring progress in implementing the relevant RD&E Plan and contributing to progress reports to the Board
- Consulting with, and reporting to, the relevant industry organisation/s in relation to the performance of its functions.
AgriFutures Australia is dedicated to embracing and promoting cultural, age and gender diversity on all of our Advisory Panels.
Chicken Meat Advisory Panel
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Export Fodder Advisory Panel
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Ginger Advisory Panel
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Goat Fibre Steering Committee
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Honey Bee & Pollination Advisory Panel
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Pasture Seeds Advisory Panel
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Tea Tree Oil Advisory Panel
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Thoroughbred Horses Advisory Panel
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Emerging Industries Technical Advisory Group
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