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What Three Rooms in New Zealand and Australia's Biggest Grocery Conference Told Me About Boards, Boldness and the Competitive Growth We Are Leaving Behind I heard something at E Tipu in Christchurch last week that I have not been able to put down. A senior leader from one of the most significant food companies in the Southern Hemisphere made this observation about the boardroom: the board that only governs what it can measure will always underinvest in what it cannot see yet.

Australia's innovation system has a structural problem that more research funding alone will not fix. The Ambitious Australia SERD report, delivered in December 2025 calls out fragmented investment, declining R&D intensity, and a persistent gap between what research institutions produce and what manufacturers can use. The report proposes a path forward through six National Innovation Pillars, place-based investment infrastructure, and a new council architecture designed to co

Australia is an agrifood powerhouse. We produce enough to feed approximately three times our own population. Our agricultural, fisheries and forestry sector produces $100.3 billion in value annually, with exports reaching $75.8 billion, making us one of the most significant food producing and exporting nations on the planet. Our food manufacturing sector, often underestimated in national conversation, turns over $173 billion in 2023–2024, employs 294,212 people, and represe

86% of boards have no regular, structured AI strategy discussions with management. Yet the directors in those same rooms are using AI tools almost every day. That is not a technology gap. It is a leadership gap, and it is one boards can close. I attended the Australian Institute of Company Directors AI governance webinar in February, and I have been sitting with one question ever since. Why are we treating AI primarily as something to manage rather than something to lead? AIC

Image: Google February 23, 2026 I am watching a fascinating shift in which companies attract strategic investment. The pattern: organisations treating operational data as infrastructure, not just compliance. From my work, these investments are creating value for human customers whilst simultaneously making companies discoverable to AI agents. Last month in a board strategy session, someone asked whether we should increase digital marketing spend. I found myself asking a diffe

February 5, 2026 Image: Google, Amazon AI Shoppers Something remarkable is emerging from recent research: the same operational changes that earn human trust weekly are precisely what makes companies discoverable to AI shopping agents. From my board and advisory work, I am observing a convergence that creates genuine competitive advantage for those who recognise it. Through my board roles and working with consumer goods innovators globally, I keep discovering something that re

November 24, 2025 Australia is forecast to break the $100 billion agricultural barrier in 2025-26—five years ahead of the NFF's 2030 target, yet our $2.98 billion R&D investment is delivering just 0.72% annual productivity growth. This disconnect isn't just a missed opportunity. It's a national food sovereignty risk. As someone who has commercialised 1200+ innovations globally and now serves on boards, I am witnessing a remarkable paradox. Australian agriculture is breaking

November 7, 2025 While 65% of Australian CEOs acknowledge AI's efficiency benefits, only 37% are actually investing compared to 47% globally (EY CEO Outlook Survey 2024). With the Australian Institute of Company Directors warning of governance gaps and ASIC urging financial services to update frameworks, consumer goods companies face both massive risk and competitive opportunity. Through my board positions, I am witnessing a troubling disconnect. Directors understand AI's pot

With Australian agricultural productivity stalled at 0.72% annually (ABARES Snapshot 2025), demand-side innovation offers new opportunities: 42% of Australians trust AI recommendations (PwC Voice of Consumer 2024) while 60% order food weekly through apps (Industry Report 2025), creating $1.40 trillion in AI-influenced purchasing decisions (Statista 2025) that smart companies can capture. Through my experience scaling consumer engagement across Mars , Fonterra , Mondel

Australian precision fermentation company Cauldron Ferm secured $4.3 million from federal government funding in 2024, while Vow became the world's only company offering cultured meat dining experiences. This isn't about replacing traditional agriculture; it's about expanding what's possible in protein production. Co-founding Monash Food Innovation gave me front-row seats to the intersection of food science and commercial viability. Now, through my board positions and

With Australian agricultural productivity growth stalled at 0.72% annually (ABARES Snapshot 2025), every efficiency gain matters. Blockchain traceability systems enable contamination tracking in seconds instead of weeks, while the $1.40 trillion global food delivery market (Statista 2025) demands transparency that traditional systems can't deliver. Through my board positions and global FMCG experience, I have learned that consumer trust directly impacts productivity. When sup

Australian farms using AI technologies are expected to increase crop yields by up to 25% by 2025, while the sector aims to transform agriculture into a $100 billion industry by 2030. The question isn't whether AI will change farming, it's whether we're ready to capture the opportunity. As someone who has watched technology adoption across global agricultural operations from my executive roles and board positions, I am witnessing something remarkable in Australian agriculture:

How Smart Directors Use TNFD to Transform Nature-Climate Governance into Competitive Advantage. The United Nations estimates nature-positive transitions could generate $10.1 trillion in annual business value by 2030, yet most boards are still treating climate and nature as separate issues. Early Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures adopters, including 23 Australian companies are already building integrated competitive advantages. Through my board experience a

CSIRO's new AI for Climate Roadmap reveals how artificial intelligence could unlock $315 billion in economic value while solving climate challenges. Yet most boards are still treating AI and climate as separate strategic issues instead of integrated growth opportunities. Through my board positions and experience commercialising 1200+ innovations globally, I have learned that the most powerful strategic opportunities emerge when converging technologies solve multiple business

Climate ROI with Impact Australian consumers will pay 9.7% premiums for sustainable products while 94% of investors suspect greenwashing...

Supply to Consumer - the complex supply chain How Smart Boards Use Climate Governance to Build Competitive Advantages. With mandatory...

Food Security Series (6 part) Here's a simple truth that might surprise you: Australia could face food accessibility challenges, even...

The Future of work series (3 part) From farm to fork: How 600,000+ Australians are revolutionizing food production and why the most...

AgriFood Technology While the World Struggles with Food Challenges, Australia is Building the Farms of the Future. From farm to fork: How...

How forward-thinking directors turn climate governance into competitive growth engines Australian consumers will pay 9.7% premiums for...