Future strategy sparks MLA shift

Two senior executives with Meat and Livestock Australia will leave the producer-owned company as part of the biggest staff redeployment seen in MLA's 12-year history.

Long-serving general managers David Thomason (marketing), and Allan Bloxsom (industry systems) will depart the company as part of a 'generational change' process outlined this week by MLA managing director David Palmer.

He said both men had contributed substantially to the development and implementation of their respective programs, for the benefit of the entire industry ? however the changes announced would allow MLA to provide a new perspective.

"How we plan for the next 12 years is no less important than the planning and staff deployment process that has applied since 1998," Mr Palmer said.

"It's a combination of re-energising from within our own ranks under a succession planning strategy, and adding to that skills-based gene pool by going back to the market."

He said the departure of both men had nothing to do with performance or cost-cutting issues.

"It's not about finding somebody better, but simply introducing new and fresh perspectives and ideas. It's a foundation for investment in the future."

Mr Palmer said in all MLA's work as a service delivery company, keeping the senior resource base fresh, dynamic and contemporary was a challenge that deserved a high priority. "It's healthy to have a moderate degree of turnover," he said.

While length of tenure is notoriously short in senior management ranks in the marketing industry generally, Mr Thomason has managed domestic marketing and contributed to MLA's broader marketing functions since 1998.

Mr Bloxsom has managed the complex and at times sensitive programs under the industry systems portfolio, including MSA, the National Livestock Identification System and Livestock Production Assurance.

Both vacancies are being filled internally.

The new marketing general manager will be Glen Feist, who acted as Korea regional manager for MLA for seven years before moving to the equivalent post in Japan last year. Mr Feist has a strong retail background, holding senior management roles in Asia with Dairy Farm, one of the world's largest supermarket operators, before joining MLA.

Promoted into Mr Bloxsom's former industry systems general management role - regarded as a key reform agency within MLA structure - will be Michelle Gorman, who has managed MLA regions in Europe and the US. She also ran the American Farm Bureau's regulatory relations branch for some time.

In recent times Ms Gorman, has tackled the crucial role of framing the industry's response to the Productivity Commission investigation into R&D activity.

Appointments will be made in coming months to fill Ms Gorman's current policy research management role, and the Japan regional manager's post to be vacated by Mr Feist.

Adding to the MLA staff changes will be several additional appointments and retirements of senior staff, unrelated to the developments outlined above:

- Peter Weeks, widely respected chief market analyst with MLA since the company's formation in 1998, will take early retirement, effective mid-August. No replacement has yet been announced, but MLA is well-serviced by junior economists coming through the ranks including Tim McRae, who has been responsible for MLA's annual Market Projections for the past two years.

- Well-known and widely experienced red meat industry stakeholder Jason Strong has been appointed MLA's new Europe regional manager.

Mr Strong has had a diverse career, from grassroots cattle production to managing the operations of MSA from its inception in 1995. Since 2001 he worked for Genetic Solutions (later bought by Pfizer Animal Genetics) in senior business development roles.

Mr Strong replaces David Jones, who has managed MLA's European desk from Brussels for the past three years, and prior to that the Middle East. Mr Jones will return to Australia to take up a new role managing the sheepmeat component of the MSA/EQA program.

- Respected environmental scientist Dr Bev Henry, currently MLA's environment, climate change and sustainability manager, has announced her resignation from the company, for personal reasons. A replacement will be sought to fill her role.