OUR BOARD

The ALM Group board has twelve directors.

Jock Douglas AO Chair
Hugh Macintosh Director
Suzanne Little
Geoff Penton

The board has committees for: risk and governance, revenue, and marketing and product development.

Jock Douglas

AO Chair

Jock produces desert limes and beef cattle near Roma, Queensland. Jock was inaugural Chair of ALMG. His continuing aim is for the wide adoption of land management certification as a vital differentiation point for Australian agriculture and the next step for Landcare. Jock is an active local landcare member and founding president of the Roma Bush Gardens Association. He was involved in the genesis of landcare and was chairman of the Queensland Landcare Council from 1992-96.  He has been President of the Cattlemen’s Union of Australia and an executive member of the National Farmers Federation and the Cattle Council of Australia.

In 1996 Jock was awarded the McKell Medal for outstanding contribution to soil and land conservation. In 1997 he was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia for ‘service to primary industry and to conservation’. He has an enduring interest in the sustainability of natural resources and the wellbeing of rural communities.

Jock asks this question which he sees as crucial for Australian agriculture: ‘How can the need and the expectation for improved land and animal welfare management be met while gaining community recognition and market benefit? And his answer is:‘This need and expectation will be met by progressive land managers verifying their improved land and animal welfare management at an internationally accepted standard.’

Hugh Macintosh

Director

Hugh has more than 20 years experience in providing agribusiness management advice and services to a range of public and private sector organisations in Australia and overseas.  He specialises in providing economic, marketing, commercialisation, management, research and advisory services to the agribusiness and natural resource management sectors.

He has a family background spanning extensive grazing and intensive animal production and has diverse experience along the agribusiness value chain in many sectors including: agri-biotech; beef; bio-fuels; coffee; cotton; dairy; education; fodder; forestry; fruit & nuts; grain; leather; meat processing; natural resource management; oilseeds; pigmeat; sheep & wool; sugar; wine.

Since 2009, he has been engaged, on a sessional basis, by the University of Queensland to deliver courses in the Agribusiness programme offered by the School of Agriculture and Food Science.

Expertise summary

  • Business Development

  • Economic and financial analysis

  • Feasibility Assessment

  • Grant applications and capital raising

  • Group Facilitation

  • Intellectual Property commercialisation and management

  • Inter and Intra industry/Business Information Analysis and Benchmarking

  • Primary & Secondary Market Research

  • Operations Reviews

  • Regional Planning and Development
  • Rural business management

  • Social and Economic Impact Assessment

  • Strategic, Business and Market Planning

  • Trade and Export Development.

Some relevant projects

  • Established Nutrafruit Pty Ltd to commercialise a suite of proprietary stonefruit varieties developed by the Queensland Department of Primary Industries.  The focus is high anti-oxidant plum selections which are being grown and processed for the nutraceutical market.

  • Agricultural Land Use Assessment – (Leighton Properties, Picton, NSW) – The purpose of this project was to assess the agricultural potential of a substantial rural property as part of an urban development application.  Key tasks included:

    • Evaluating the site in terms of its current suitability for agriculture – slope, soil degradation, erosion, weed incursion, fertility, etc.

    • Assessing the cost of ameliorating the site to return it to agricultural viability.

    • Identifying possible agricultural enterprises that could be conducted on the site.

    • Analysing the economic viability of the various potential enterprises.

    • Making a recommendation as to the agricultural viability of the site.

  • Conducted a market audit and due diligence for a major investment bank considering a takeover of a listed agribusiness company involved in a range of horticulture and other industries (Macquarie Bank).

  • Member of a team developing a strategic vision for the Australian Lotfeeding industry to 2020 (MLA and ALFA).

  • Conducted a strategic review of the Queensland Beef industry to identify strategies to ensure the continued growth of the industry (QDPI&F).

  • Analysed the value chain for a range of processed and semi-processed products in the beef, horticulture, cereal and sugar industries from the farm gate to the consumer in China and Japan (QLD Government).

  • Evaluated emerging processed food (dairy, bakery, vegetables) industry opportunities in Vietnam (RIRDC).  The results of this project were published by RIRDC in 1997.

  • Conducted a needs analysis of the food industry in north-west Tasmania and identified development options to direct the investment of Government funds in the industry.  The results of this project are being used to source additional Government funds to implement the project recommendations (Cradle Coast Authority).

  • Federal DAFF – Developing a best practice framework for the Australian vegetable production sector.

  • MSF Ltd – Facilitating a regional sugar industry strategic plan to address the concerns and issues of growers and the mill and to ensure the sustainability of the industry.

  • Market research and strategy development for a start-up venture delivering DNA based product tracking services to the world meat processing industry (Genetic Solutions).

  • Primary research to assess the level of adoption and general perception of farmers towards Environmental Management Systems in the MIA (Murrumbidgee Irrigation).

  • Reviewing the viability and efficiency of the existing cane transport system for a publicly listed sugar company (Maryborough Sugar Factory).

  • Assessing the feasibility and developing a plan for expanding the cane transport system for a large sugar mill in north Queensland (Proserpine Sugar Mill).

  • Plantation Manager for one of the first MIS projects in Queensland, producing over 100 ha of jojoba destined for international markets.

Qualifications

  • Master of Business Administration Queensland University of Technology

  • Bachelor of Agricultural Science (Economics) University of Queensland

Suzanne Little

Suzanne Little is a chemist/geologist with a career in environmental management and auditing. She is familiar with the drivers for improved land management and brings skills in government and industry policy, operations, financial management, corporate leadership and governance.

Suzanne is a board member of the Sydney Metropolitan Catchment Management Authority and a practitioner in environmental standards and certification.  She has represented the environment profession as Australian Vice-President of the Environment Institute of Australia and New Zealand and was environment director for the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games.  Half her career was in commercial roles as the environment manager for Vodafone Australia, AGL and SAI Global.

Suzanne’s background ranges from the introduction of sustainable development to Australia, via the construction of twenty Olympic venues, to representing bushcare volunteers in official liaison with the municipal council in her local area.  Suzanne is an auditor, advisor and teacher of environmental courses.  She is a regular conference speaker on topics such as sustainable procurement and sustainable economics.

As a board member of the Sydney Metropolitan CMA, Suzanne directs strategic investment of State and Commonwealth funds for the natural resource management of Sydney’s urban area and coastline.  In 2006, she chaired its Biodiversity Theme Panel that set the biodiversity targets in projects that maintain and improve rivers, estuaries and the coast around Sydney.

Her aspiration for certified land management is for it to be a major contributor to improving sustainability in rural Australia.

Geoff Penton

Geoff is Chief Executive Officer with the Queensland Murray Darling Committee and works across a wide sweep of south-west Queensland from his home base in Toowoomba. Geoff was one of the people who conceived and supported the ALM Group and is one of its original board members.

Geoff began his career in landcare and regional natural resource management as one of the first four Queensland landcare facilitators. This developed into a regional NRM role, resulting in an eventual move to QMDC. He was appointed to the CEO role in 2008.  Geoff has played a key role in the formation of the Landcare Queesland, which he currently chairs. Geoff grew up on the family farm before completing a Bachelor of Applied Science (Agricultural Systems).

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