Elaine Cook has been appointed as a Trustee to the AGMARDT Board.
Cook brings a wealth of experience to the role, having held positions in farm ownership, food & fibre governance, local government and community organisations.
AGMARDT Chair Nick Pyke welcomes Elaine to the Board, noting that “a strong sense of purpose runs through Elaine’s work. Her diverse background and experience in governance & leadership, will make her an asset to the Board as we continue to support innovation in New Zealand’s food and fibre sector.”
“Elaine’s commitment to growing the capability of farming people aligns particularly well with AGMARDT’s vision for the sector, and our recent work on developing food and fibre governance pathways” says Pyke.
Cook comes from a dairy farming background, starting in sharemilking and later moving into farm ownership in both Southland and Waikato. Her practical knowledge of farming is complemented by extensive governance experience, having led capability-focussed projects as a DairyNZ Board Director and Director of Strategy at New Zealand Young Farmers. Cook has also held leadership roles at the Southern Dairy Hub and in local Government.
“Farming is an honourable profession” says Cook. “I believe AGMARDT plays a critical role in maintaining our reputation for innovation and I look forward to supporting projects that build strong, proud rural communities into the future.”
“While I’ve been lucky enough to work across multiple areas – including agri-business, public service, information management and health & safety – my approach to building commercial or organisational success is grounded in supporting people to realise their potential. I’ll be bringing this approach with me to AGMARDT.”
Cook replaces outgoing Trustee Justine Gillard, who has served on the Board since 2018.
AGMARDT Chair Nick Pyke highlights Justine’s contribution in developing the organisation’s 2020 strategy and its subsequent implementation. “In particular, Justine’s work to evolve our approach to partnership and collaboration, will be an asset to the organisation in the years ahead” says Pyke.
“Being a trustee of AGMARDT has been a huge privilege – and a lot of fun” says outgoing Trustee Justine Gilliland. “This has been a role based on adapting, adjusting and changing as we go. We’ve also tried new things – not always successfully – but considering this organisation’s mandate to support innovation, that experimentation is important.”
“I’m really proud of the work we’ve done more recently, such as the collaborative thought leadership projects with KPMG (Are Industry Good Organisations Good for Industry? – also known as The Common Ground) and the potential of biotechnology for New Zealand with The Aotearoa Circle. I’m also proud to have helped uphold the legacy of past trustees and supported the food and fibre sector to continue to innovate and grow. Whether that’s in capability development, R&D and new products, or through key organisations like Te Hono and Rural Leaders.”
“While I’m sad to be leaving AGMARDT, it’s time for a new trustee to come in and pick up carry on the organisation’s significant legacy. I wish the team the very best for the next great set of supported initiatives” says Gilliland.