Beef Central publishes an occasional summary of appointments, departures and achievements occurring across the red meat and livestock supply chain. Send details for entries to admin@beefcentral.com

• Senior management and operations changes at JBS northern
• MLA senior management moves
• Remembering Sydney butchery personality, Terry Wright
• Former Rabo, MLA economist joins agtech pioneer
• New managers for Santa Gertrudis, Herefords

Senior management and operations changes at JBS northern

The recent promotion of Brendan Tatt as JBS Australia’s Northern Division chief operating officer has sparked a series of staff changes within the company’s meat sales and plant management ranks.

Mr Tatt was previously working as JBS general manager commercial, in charge of export and domestic meat sales.

As a result of the move, Emma Golder has now been appointed general manager sales for JBS Northern. Ms Golden has been with JBS for 22 years and managed sales in several key markets before being appointed export sales manager in 2015. She is now arguably the most senior female meat salesperson in the Australian red meat industry. Emma was mentored early in her career by some of the best in the industry, including AMH meat sales guns Peter White, and Darryl France.

Also promoted as part of the restructure was Lachlan Rothwell, who has been appointed JBS Northern export sales manager, overseeing beef meat sales abroad.

In other significant recent, but unrelated management and operations changes in the company, Murray Wilson has been promoted to general manager of JBS’s flagship Dinmore plant. The newly-created position will report directly to the general manager for northern operations, and is a strategic role focused on maximising plant productivity, community and employee engagement, and the medium to long term plant strategy.

Mr Wilson has been with JBS for more than 30 years, and has most recently worked as Dinmore plant manager. He originally worked in the quality assurance team from 1989 at the now defunct AMH Beaudesert plant, previously run by Tancreds.

As a result of Mr Wilson’s promotion, the role of JBS plant manager has now been taken by Trent MacNeil, who joined JBS in 2009 in the production team at Beef City, before progressing in the business and working in a number of different roles including sales support, revenue maximisation, and as a boning room and killfloor foreman.

He moves to Dinmore from his previous role as plant manager at JBS Townsville. The JBS Townsville plant manager position is currently being advertised on Beef Central’s Jobs Central recruitment platform. Click here to access.

 

MLA senior management moves

Dr Jane Weatherley has been announced as Meat & Livestock Australia’s new general manager of Research, Development and Adoption.

Dr Weatherley moves into the role following her time as MLA’s GM of Communications and Adoption, which she was appointed to in 2023. Prior to this she was CEO at Integrity Systems Co, a subsidiary of MLA which she held since 2016. Earlier she was MLA’s GM for Livestock Productivity, managing Meat Standards Australia, livestock genetics and sheep productivity RD&E.

Dr Weatherley has been acting in her current role for all of 2024, following the departure in December last year of former GM Kevin Argyle, in addition to her role as GM of Communications and Adoption.

In her new role she will oversee MLA’s investment in both on-farm and off-farm R&D projects and will manage stakeholder relationships in this space, including with Federal and State governments, producer groups, research bodies and universities. She will also provide strategic direction and leadership to build awareness and adoption of MLA activities and programs.

“I look forward to working with the MLA team in this role to engage with red meat and livestock producers and build greater connections with MLA’s research and adoption strategies,” Dr Weatherley said.

MLA managing director Michael Crowley said the industry service delivery company was thrilled to have Dr Weatherley’s expertise leading the R,D&A teams, especially as MLA commences the consultation phase for its next five-year MLA Strategic Plan.

“In her 12 years working for MLA and ISC, Jane has gained extensive experience in leading successful research outcomes for red meat producers across Australia,” Mr Crowley said. “She has an incredible track record of delivering high value and impactful initiatives, backed by her immense passion for the sector.”

Dr Weatherley started in her new role on Monday.

Following Dr Weatherley’s her move, Brad Pfeffer is now MLA’s acting General Manager, Communications. Recruitment for this role will begin shortly, open to external and internal applicants.

In other internal changes, Dr Joe McMeniman has been appointed as MLA group manager for sustainability. Dr McMeniman was previously Feedlot Program Manager. The feedlot program management role is currently open for recruitment.

Former Rabo, MLA economist joins agtech pioneer

Former Rabobank and MLA economist Bill Cordingley has joined agtech company Biolevel as chief executive officer.

Biolevel Ltd is a global biological nutrition company dedicated to developing and delivering a new generation of soil biology enhancement products that benefit farmers. A senior executive of 19 years at Rabobank Group in both New York and Sydney, Mr Cordingley most recently served as the bank’s Global Head of Grains, Oilseeds and Sugar in its Corporate Finance Group.

His wealth of global agribusiness finance experience, and leadership expertise, positioned Biolevel for a new phase of rapid growth to become a global biologicals market leader, the company said.

He’s a well-respected leader with a sharp commercial acumen, a strong track record of building winning teams and establishing deep client relationships, and he has a passion for agriculture,” the company said.

Remembering Sydney butchery personality, Terry Wright

Veteran Sydney retail butcher Terry Wright passed away last month, aged 90.

Terry had a profound influence on the meat industry, as well as having a lasting impact on his family, community, and the many listeners who sought his wisdom on the talkback radio sessions he featured in about meat.

Terry was a cherished icon in Sydney’s food community and a pillar at the Wrights the Butchers business, being respected as both a skilled butcher and a business manager.

He was the underpinning author of the publication “Butchers’ Boys to Men,” an historical piece about the butchery business in Australia. Terry was perhaps best known for promoting the old AMLC Trim Lamb campaign with the slogan “Where’s the bone?” which showed his dedication and passion to the meat industry.

Terry made large contributions towards industry representation, spending more than 50 year as an AMIC retail member and 20 years on the NSW AMIC Retail Council, helping to set standards for how butchers operate.

A funeral was held on 21 June at Matraville.

New managers for Santa Gertrudis, Herefords

Experienced agricultural journalist and media business manager Brad Cooper is the new general manager of the Santa Gertrudis Stud Breeders Society Ltd.

He takes over as the breed society’s head from Chris Todd, who retired towards the end of last year after five years in the role.

Mr Cooper starts his new role on 22 July, in time for the large gathering of Santa bull breeders for the annual Brisbane Show and the start of the 2024 Santa spring bull selling season in August.

He has spent most of his working career in agricultural media and public relations roles, most recently working with fresh foods supply chain technology company Escovox, and a private consultancy working with Droughtmaster Australia and other rural clients.

Prior to that he worked in ag media for 20 years, joining Queensland Country Life in 2005, and prior to that in a public relations consultancy specialising in agriculture. He was QCL editor from 2013 to 2015, and national beef writer for two years prior to that. He managed national editorial operations for ACM’s ag publishing group until his departure in 2019.

He will work from the SGSBS offices at Geebung, on Brisbane’s northside.

New head for Herefords Australia

As reported earlier, Herefords Australia also has a new operations head, appointing Alastair James as the breed society’s new chief executive officer, replacing Michael Crowley.

Mr James previously worked as CEO of the Red Meat Advisory Council. He takes up his new role with Herefords Australia on August 7.

Mr James has worked for RMAC since 2021 after holding senior roles with the industry representative bodies, Australian Livestock Exporters Council and CropLife Australia, and the former Federal Department of Agriculture and Water Resources.

He holds a Bachelor of Applied Science – Agriculture and is a graduate member of the Australian institute of Company Directors.

Herefords Australia chairman Marc Greening welcomed the appointment, saying securing such a high calibre executive from within the red meat supply chain was a coup for the organisation in taking the breed forward.