David Peacocke is based in Raglan and has interests in several large farming operations, both in the Waikato and the South Island. His business interests are diverse and encompass the beef, sheep, dairy, forestry, poultry and property sectors.

Mr Peacocke is a director of a number of companies in the rural sector, including Taupiri Holdings and Melrose Limited, and was appointed as chairman of Ballance in 2013.

He has a Bachelor of Commerce (Agriculture) from Lincoln College and in 2004 was the Supreme Award winner of the Ballance Farm Environment Awards for the Waikato region.

Albert Brantley is chief executive of Ōtākaro Limited, the Crown Company with the responsibility for completion of the Crown funded anchor projects for the Christchurch rebuild programme, as well as divesture of the land in the central business district and residential areas the Crown acquired after the 2011 earthquake.

A highly qualified engineer and geologist, he has worked on a number of engineering and commercial projects in the oil and gas, mining and power generation sectors across the globe. He has considerable experience leading operationally complex businesses which require high levels of stakeholder, political, regulatory and environmental management.

Mr Brantley is the former chief executive of Genesis Energy, and has held other similar roles in New Zealand at L&M Mining and OceanaGold. He is the former Executive Managing Director of CMS Power Company, leading a $2.3 billion project to build a 1600MW generation plant with associated desalination facilities in Abu Dhabi.

Mr Brantley holds a Bachelor of Science, is a Fellow of the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, and is a member of the Institute of Directors.

Mr Ellis was chief executive of Waste Management New Zealand for 13 years, culminating in the company’s sale in 2006. His earlier chief executive appointments, dating back to 1978, covered a number of market sectors including health, manufacturing, logistics, property, agriculture and fashion.

Well practised at driving competitive positioning and outcomes within duopoly markets, Mr Ellis also has a substantial amount of experience relating to mergers and acquisitions.

A professional director, Mr Ellis currently has roles with Enviro Waste Services, Freightways, Port of Tauranga, FSF Management Company, New Zealand Social Infrastructure Fund, and Metlifecare. He holds a Bachelor of Engineering (Chemical) with first class honours from Canterbury University, and a Bachelor of Commerce and Administration (Economics) with first class honours from Victoria University.

Andrew Morrison is a Southland based sheep and beef farmer currently farming 1030 ha between Otago and Southland. Passionate about agriculture he currently serves in the industry good space as a Beef+Lamb NZ director, and is also a New Zealand Meat Board director.

Mr Morrison’s not-for-profit involvement includes Ovis Management, which monitors and promotes the control of sheep measles. He is a director on the Pastoral Greenhouse Gas Research Consortium in which industry and government has partnered to research and potentially commercialise methane mitigation solutions in ruminant animals.

Mr Morrison is also a member of the Environment Southland Water and Land 2020 Steering Group, set up to provide recommendations to council on initiatives to manage water quality through the requirements of the National Policy Statement on Fresh Water Management.

Sarah von Dadelszen, along with husband Sam, operates a 13,000 stock unit sheep and beef property and a 350 cow dairy farm near Takapau, in the central Hawke’s Bay.

Sarah has been actively involved in governance roles across the rural sector with the NZ Beef Council and Fonterra Shareholders Council and is currently a trustee of the Agricultural and Marketing Research and Development Trust (AGMARDT). A former winner of the Richmond Hawke’s Bay Farmer of the Year, she was awarded a Food and Agribusiness Marketing Experience scholarship studying markets in America, Europe, China and Japan.

Sarah has more recently gained a deeper understanding of the intricacies of global agri-business following attendance at the Stanford University Business School with a New Zealand Primary Industry New Zealand Leadership Group, and a trip to Russia and Morocco to attend the International Fertiliser Association Conference and meet with key suppliers to build a further understanding of the fertiliser supply chain.

Born into a farming family, Sarah built up considerable practical experience ahead of obtaining a Bachelor of Agriculture from Massey University. After graduation she spent five years in rural banking, adding financial disciplines to her farming knowledge.

Murray Taggart farms a 732 ha irrigated sheep, beef and cropping property near Oxford, North Canterbury.

Mr Taggart brings considerable experience to the board, and is currently serving as the chairman of Alliance Group. He is a past director of CRT Society, past chairman of the National Meat and Fibre Council, and past member of the National Board of Federated Farmers.

Prior to farming he was employed in the banking sector holding roles in corporate banking. In 1996 Mr Taggart was the recipient of a Nuffield Farming Scholarship, and in 2006 he won the Tasman Region FMG Rural Excellence Award.

He holds a Bachelor of Agricultural Science. Mr Taggart brings a wider perspective of agriculture to the board from the experience gained through his various governance roles in the farming industry.

Simon Robertson was appointed to our Board in September 2017.

Simon is a professional director with extensive commercial experience, including 10 years with Auckland International Airport (AIAL) during a period of significant investment and strategic growth for a business that is New Zealand’s pre-eminent trade and tourism gateway.

As CFO for AIAL, he led the finance, accounting, business technology and procurement functions along with investor relations and regulatory affairs. Simon has a proven track-record in strategy and capital-intensive infrastructure investment.

He is a director of Flick Energy, and previously served on the boards of North Queensland Airports, Tainui Auckland Airport Hotel and HMS Host New Zealand.

Mr Balle is managing director of Balle Bros Group, a vertically integrated food business supplying retail and foodservice businesses across New Zealand and the world. with farming operations covering 4,000ha across Northland, Auckland, Waikato, Central North Island, Hawkes Bay and Canterbury.

A chartered accountant, Mr Balle also manages a 1,000ha dairy operation in North Waikato. His governance experience also includes directorships with Open Country Dairy Limited, Onions New Zealand and Potatoes New Zealand.

Duncan Coull farms 240ha of dairy operations in the northern King Country near Otorohanga, as well as dairy grazing operations in Piopio and a 250ha dairy farm in Milton. He has been on the Fonterra Shareholders’ Council for eight years, the last three of those as Chair.

Mr Coull is a Global Dairy Ambassador and independent chair of Naki Construction and Westfield Farms. A former finance manager for Rabobank, he is a member of the Otorohanga District Development Board.