In a major agribusiness coup, one of New Zealand’s leading agribusiness experts, Ian Proudfoot, will headline the speakers for the Access NZ conference organised by Toowoomba and Surat Basin Enterprise (TSBE) on June 12 in Auckland.

TSBE Chief Operating Officer Stacey Burrell is thrilled to have secured the global thought leader for the five-day international delegation that departs Toowoomba Wellcamp Airport on June 11. “Mr Proudfoot is one of the leading strategic thinkers on agribusiness in New Zealand and the world. To secure him to speak and meet delegates at our Access NZ conference is a major win for our region and local businesses.”

Ian Proudfoot, Global Leader of AgriFood KPMG in Auckland will address the conference on the future of food production, processing, and consumption.“I am very excited to be speaking and meeting delegates at the upcoming Access NZ conference,” Mr Proudfoot said. “Here in New Zealand, our focus is on producing high-quality natural products. At the conference, I will be challenging people to think about how businesses are evolving and how they can extract maximum dollar from producing high-quality products.”

Mr Proudfoot has provided strategic agribusiness advice around the world and identifies a strong benefit in continuing to build relations with our Kiwi neighbours. “I believe there are some good opportunities for trans-Tasman collaboration, especially with the Toowoomba and Surat Basin region. Access NZ will help businesses from both countries explore opportunities from co-marketing to co-branding.”

Mr Proudfoot joins a list of innovative speakers including Beach Energy Chief Executive Officer, Dawn Summers; Terax Waste Conversion Chief Executive Officer, Brian Vass; Plant and Food Research senior scientist, Kevin Patterson; Austrade Consul General and Senior Trade Commissioner, John Brand; and Business NZ Australia New Zealand Leadership Forum (ANZLP) secretariat, Fiona Cooper. The full day conference will take place at the Pullman Hotel Ballroom on June 12, followed by a gala dinner with fellow delegates and distinguished NZ leaders including a special celebrity appearance by former All Blacks legend, Andrew Mehrtens.

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