Our Team
Nick Pyke
ChairNick is a Founder and Director of Ag Innovate Ltd and Leftfield Innovation Ltd. AgInnovate focusses on supporting innovation through high quality applied research and deliver benefits to New Zealand food producers and the agricultural industries. Leftfield Innovation is a social enterprise which uses market insights to develop diversified sustainable land uses delivering food for consumers. Nick has governance experience with agricultural businesses, farms, industry good organisations and a sports organisation and is currently Chair of AGMARDT, a director of Cropmark Seeds, Pāmu and FoodHQ. He was CEO of FAR (Foundation for Arable Research) from its inception for over 20 years.He has held positions on a number of national advisory groups and is the recipient of a number of awards recognising his contribution to agriculture.
Ben Tosswill
TrusteeBen is the owner/operator of a 1300ha sheep and beef farm in Central Hawkes Bay. The business also includes a luxury glamp site, production forestry, and QEII protected native forest. A keen advocate of adopting technology on farm, Ben was an early adopter of cloud-based technology to drive efficiency. Prior to farming Ben worked as a rural bank manager before travelling throughout Africa, South America, and Europe. He lived in London for 3 years, where he worked as an analyst in corporate and investment banking. This experience, including working through the Global Financial Crisis, gave him insight into global finance, investment, and ignited a keen interest in future investment trends and technology.With a drive for continuous improvement, Ben has seen first-hand the positive impact that up-skilling and supporting innovation can have on a family, business, community, and wider industry.Ben is also the Chair of the Beef+Lamb NZ Eastern North Island Farmer Council and is a member of the Beef+Lamb NZ Farmer Council National Executive.
Donna Cram
TrusteeDonna is a fourth-generation dairy farmer, second-term Taranaki Regional Councillor, and the founder and chair of Taranaki Catchment Communities. Named the 2023 Fonterra Dairy Woman of the Year, she is known for her leadership, forward-thinking approach, and commitment to the future of the primary sector.As a member of the National Dairy Environment Leaders advisory committee and contributor to international climate research through Dairy Trust Taranaki, Donna is an environmental leader in the dairy sector. With her husband Philip, she co-owns a 117-hectare dairy farm and leases an additional 64 hectares in South Taranaki, applying strong environmental principles supported by advanced technologies. Their farm has contributed to emissions reduction projects, water efficiency initiatives, and features a 4500m² constructed wetland.A lifelong learner, Donna has a Bachelor of Business Studies (Accounting), Diploma in Agribusiness Management, and several environmental certificates. She is a graduate of the Agri-Women’s Development Trust’s Escalator and Fonterra governance programmes.
Alastair Rhodes
TrusteeAlastair is the Chief Executive of BayTrust, a role he has held more than a decade, leading the $280 million Community Trust to become a national leader in sustainable investing. Alastair is also Chair of the BOP Housing Equity Fund and serves on the board of the Emerge Aotearoa Housing Trust.Prior to his appointment at BayTrust, Alastair held senior executive positions in aviation and consulting. He is a qualified chartered accountant and lawyer and has a legal, commercial and strategic background.Alastair has a passion for investing locally to help drive positive impact and make Aotearoa a better place for future generations. Having grown up on the NZ Dairy Board farm in the Waikato, where his father was head veterinarian, Alastair feels a strong connection to the New Zealand food and fibre sector and appreciates the critical role it serves for our country’s economic wellbeing.
Lisa Portas
Associate TrusteeLisa Portas has more than a decade of experience working across agriculture, rural businesses, and supply chains in New Zealand and internationally. She is a 2025 Nuffield Farming Scholar and her research focused on global agricultural value-chain models, exploring how greater transparency, trust, and closer alignment between producers and markets can improve long-term outcomes for farmers. Lisa brings practical experience in strategic development and cross-sector collaboration, alongside strong regional insight. She is a member of the Wairarapa Economic Development Strategy Steering Group, sits on the Destination Wairarapa RTO Board, and is Regional Co-ordinator for the Greater Wellington Ballance Farm Environment Awards. Lisa is also involved in a small number of commercial initiatives within the wool sector and is a part of the Fibre Aotearoa Governance Group.
Lee-Ann Marsh
General ManagerLee-Ann is the General Manager of AGMARDT based in Auckland. A global marketer, Lee-Ann brings a powerful consumer lens to the food and fibres sector. Prior to joining us as General Manager in 2021, Lee-Ann was Global Market Innovation Manager at Beef + Lamb New Zealand. Previously she worked for Fonterra and Nestlé in consumer insights roles having moved to New Zealand in 2010 off the back of an international career working with blue chip clients across fast moving consumer packaged goods, healthcare, and technology. Lee-Ann is passionate about the global role New Zealand can play in healthy and sustainable food and fibres production and in supporting the sector to move beyond meeting market needs to actively anticipating them.
Madison Pannett
Programme Delivery LeadMadison is AGMARDT's Programme Delivery Lead, translating strategic priorities into action plans and leading their delivery. Madison also leads reporting on grants, developing and implementing impact measurement frameworks. Madison was a Kellogg Rural Leadership Scholar and holds a Master of International Studies from University of Otago.
Thomas Buchanan
Finance, Operations and Governance ManagerThomas leads AGMARDT's operational and governance functions, including finance, administration, grants management and board support. He has a wide range of finance and operations experience in start-ups, non-profits and small businesses, and is also an experienced communicator and event manager. He has previously owned, operated, and sold a small group of companies.
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As ‘Future Shapers’ – we want to ignite a better future for the food & fibres sector.
Programmes
AGMARDT strategically invest in initiatives to encourage innovative thinking, research capability and collaboration.
AGMARDT
Takes a collaborative, strategy approach to flexibly support the sector to create transformational change.
Stories
With more than 1700 grants awarded to date, we’ve got some great stories to share with you.