New agribusiness finance leaders appointed

QUEENSLAND Agriculture Minister Bill Byrne has welcomed the appointment of two experienced agribusiness finance executives – Leith Boully and Zoe Kenneally – to the board of the Queensland Rural Adjustment Authority.

“They have strong agricultural backgrounds and bring a wealth of financial, business, governance and risk management skills to the QRAA board,” Minister Byrne said.

“Ms Boully has served on many boards across the water and natural resource management, agricultural and education sectors, including currently as chairperson of SunWater.

“She is also a director of the Isis Central Sugar Mill and an adjunct professor with the Global Change Institute at the University of Queensland.

“Ms Boully is a former graduate of the Australian Rural Leadership Program, has tertiary qualifications in science and business, and has operated a successful farming and grazing agribusiness for 30 years.

“Ms Kenneally is currently the chief financial officer with international agribusiness investment firm Laguna Bay Pastoral Company, and worked for 13 years as an agribusiness director with consultancy group Ernst and Young, where she oversaw a range of technical accounting and assurance roles for major clients.

“She is a chartered accountant with extensive experience working with agricultural industries, primarily in beef, and in dealing with pastoral property valuations and audit committees.”

Mr Byrne said in the past few weeks QRAA had approved more than

$3.5 million in loans and grants to hundreds of primary producers, small business and not-for-profit organisations impacted by Severe Tropical Cyclone Debbie.

In 2016-17 to date, QRAA has delivered a total more than $244 million in financial assistance supporting 3300 Queenslanders across primary industry, small business and non-profit sectors.

QRAA chairman Wayne Carlson said the new directors would bring additional financial and governance experience to the board at an exciting time for QRAA.