Reflecting on a Decade with Nufarm:

Today marks 10 years since I joined Nufarm , and what a journey it’s been! Reflecting on this milestone, I’m reminded of the challenges I’ve faced, the lessons I’ve learned, and how those moments have shaped the professional I am today. I thought why not push out of my comfort zone and write something!

My career with Nufarm started in customer service, although my original aspiration was a territory sales role. In hindsight, I wasn’t yet ready for that step but, I was fortunate to be offered a role by Owen Williams , albeit with a significant pay reduction compared to my agronomy role! While it felt bittersweet at the time, those 18 months in customer service became the foundation of my career. I gained invaluable insight into the business from front to back and developed a strong belief in always putting the customer first.

Next came an opportunity to move to Mackay with Andrew Ryan , where I dived headfirst into sugarcane and horticulture – a stark departure from my broadacre agronomy roots. It helped that Nufarm has an enviable product portfolio in this space. My first week was trial by fire, managing significant product quality issues with a key product in the territory. I’ll always be grateful to customers & colleuges like Nicholas Matthews , Courtney Drysdale, Ryan Cranitch , Tom Adams, Adrian Zarb , Angelo Licciardello, Darren Young & Jeff York for their professionalism and generosity in sharing their knowledge. Mackay will always hold a special place in my heart as the birthplace of my first child.

From there, I transitioned to the newly created Regional Development Manager role, which centred on customers, people, and products. Working in Nick Rinaudo 's team during some of the industry’s toughest drought conditions, I learned the value of lending an ear and bringing hope during challenging times. Some of my favourite memories involve being out on-farm, engaging directly with growers.

The move to Melbourne just before COVID was another significant chapter. As a Commercial Development and Farmers Edge Manager, I collaborated with Scott Brady to strengthen relationships with Warrakirri with Elders , working with Adrian Goonan 's team. I also contributed as the voice of sales in Integrated Business Planning (IBP) forums. This role evolved into National Key Account Manager, where I worked closely with Tim and Kerryn Hayes on accounts Muirs.co and NRI - National Rural Independents , navigating the dual challenges of COVID supply disruptions and favourable seasons.

My current role in David Ryan ’s marketing team, after transitioning from Peter O'Keeffe ’s sales team, has been a steep yet rewarding learning curve. As a Product Manager, I manage and set the direction for half of Nufarm’s commercial products in Australia, with Sam Adam . It’s a role that balances strategic focus with cross-functional collaboration across molecules and brands. Success stories like Terrad’or, DROPZONE, and Terrain Flow are certainly rewarding, but the behind-the-scenes work on processes, cost efficiencies, and formulation improvement initiatives are as equally fulfilling.

A decade at Nufarm has been nothing short of transformative, and I’m grateful to every colleague, mentor, and customer who has been part of the journey. Here’s to growing even more in the years ahead!

Key learnings from the past 10 years:

• Don’t fear taking a step back to move forward.
• Be willing to step into the unknown.
• Always put customers at the centre of your decisions – it makes a difference.
• Relationships in agriculture are key – build them with intention.
• Realising you can’t do it all doesn’t mean you’re failing.
• Teamwork delivers better results than working in isolation.
• Focusing on the right priorities enhances success.
• Make work enjoyable – it’s ?a significant part of life.
• Balance is essential – there’s life outside of work.

What has been one of your key learnings at your current company? Comment below.?