Expansion of team boosts capacity for Grains Australia

Four key new team members have joined Grains Australia, significantly boosting its capacity to deliver value to the Australian grains industry.

Grains Australia, an initiative of the Grains Research & Development Corporation (GRDC), is responsible for vital industry services and functions that improve the industry’s competitiveness and profitability.

Richard Simonaitis, Chief Executive Officer of Grains Australia said, ″I am pleased to have joining the team four experienced industry professionals across strategy and communications and trade and market access business units who will be a huge boost to our existing capacity.

″The new Grains Australia team members, who have started with us in the last two months, bring a wealth of experience and will consolidate our ability to service the connection between what the market wants and what the Australian grains industry can provide.″

Natalie Lee joins as General Manager, Strategy and Communication, bringing significant strategic communications experience from her previous roles at the Grower Group Alliance, GRDC, Cox Inall Communications and West Australian Newspapers Holdings.

Ms Lee is a partner in her family’s mixed broadacre farming business in Western Australia’s Upper Great Southern region.

Peter Breguet joins as Senior Manager, Trade and Market Access, and has experience in agricultural commodity marketing and grain quality, and a strong exposure to the grains industry. Mr Breguet has worked with a grain processor (Unigrain), in cargo export certification (ASC) and with a number of agricultural commodity storage and trading companies.

He is based in Victoria and is well-versed in fostering relationships with industry, government and international partners.

Lachlan Evans joins as Trade and Market Access Manager, bringing experience across diplomacy, government relations, trade and politics. Mr Evans has been working for the Western Australian Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development and has worked with various ministerial offices and Federal Government departments.

Tatjana Karov joins as Council Coordination Manager, bringing expertise across agricultural economics, research, marketing and technical communications. Ms Karov has previously worked for GRDC’s National Variety Trials (NVT) program and the University of Arkansas Rice Research and Extension Centre. She is based in Victoria.

Later in 2023, Grains Australia will appoint a Chief Financial Officer to work closely with the Executive Team, CEO Richard Simonaitis and Company Secretary Jennifer Hindmarsh.