Nominations open for agribusiness leadership award

July 6, 2011

Nominations are now open for the prestigious Rabobank Leadership Award – a key recognition of achievement in, and contribution to, Australia and New Zealand’s food, beverage and agribusiness industries.

The annual award – now in its sixth year in the current format – recognises excellence among the senior leaders of Australia and New Zealand’s agribusiness and agri-related industries.

Past award winners include Yalumba Wine Company proprietor and managing director Robert Hill Smith, pastoralist and company director Nick Burton Taylor and Incitec Pivot chairman John Watson, while last year’s recipient was the director of CSIRO’s Food Futures National Research program Dr Bruce Lee.

Rabobank Australia & New Zealand CEO Thos Gieskes said the Rabobank Leadership Award was designed to recognise individuals in leadership roles who had made significant contribution to Australia and New Zealand’s vitally-important food and agribusiness industries.

“Good leadership is of course essential for success in business. The recipients of the Rabobank Leadership Award, however, go beyond this to display truly outstanding leadership not only of their businesses, but of the industry and often in the wider community,” he said.

Agribusiness industry participants are invited to nominate senior leaders in the industry, who they believe deserving of the award.

Judging criteria include a significant achievement as a senior leader in building, rejuvenating, or expanding a business in the food, agribusiness or beverage sectors;
develops and communicates a clear vision and direction for sustainable growth and prosperity at both a corporate and industry level; and regarded as an outstanding corporate citizen and demonstrates social commitment.

Mr Gieskes said as the world's leading specialist food and agribusiness bank, Rabobank believed it was important to recognise significant achievement in this field.
“We see the talent, the initiative and effort needed to develop and grow agricultural business and to lead the industry, and we believe these leaders deserve the highest accolades,” he says.

This year’s award winner will be announced on 19 September 2011 at the Rabobank Leadership Dinner to be held at the Art Gallery of NSW.

Nominations close on July 29 2011. To nominate an outstanding individual for the award, visit www.rabobankleadershipaward.com .

ENDS

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