AmCham Business Luncheon

Trade and Exports Growing the South Australian Economy

“More exports = more South Australian jobs” is the mantra of our Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment. Hear his government’s plans to make this happen. Austrade connects Australian businesses to overseas opportunities – hear the CEO tell us how they do this. Hancock Agriculture includes S. Kidman & Co Pty Ltd, one of Australia’s largest beef producers of grass-fed beef for export to the USA, Japan and South East Asia.

What are the opportunities? Is South Australia ready and able to take advantage? What do businesses need to know and do? What assistance is available? If you want to know how South Australia businesses can grow our economy you need to be there.

Hon David Ridgway MLC, Minister for Tourism, Trade and Investment
Mr Graham Putt, General Manager, Trade and Investment Division, Austrade
David Larkin AM, Chief Executive Officer, Hancock Agriculture

Hon David Ridgway grew up in the small South-East community of Wolseley, South Australia. Fostering his interest in rural affairs, David travelled extensively and through connecting with other farming communities, developed his understanding of politics and community leadership. 

As a young adult, David took over the family farm which had diversified into a large-scale horticultural operation. It was an experience which developed his understanding of business and exports. That business operation, along with the personal experience of raising a family in a rural community, reinforced David’s connection to regional South Australia. 

Intent on playing a positive role in strengthening South Australia’s regional communities, David won a seat in the State’s Legislative Council in 2002. He served in a variety of portfolio areas and from 2007 until 2018, was the Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council and the Shadow Minister for several major portfolios such as Planning, Primary Industries and Tourism.

Following its success at the March 2018 State Election, David was appointed Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment in Premier Steven Marshall’s Ministry.

Outside his role as a Member of Parliament, David enjoys spending time with family, exploring South Australia’s unique and diverse regions, and pursuing opportunities to promote his home State to prospective visitors, investors and customers.

Graham Putt is the General Manager, Trade and Investment Division of Austrade, a division of Austrade that plays a leading role in contributing to Australia's future growth and economic prosperity by helping Australian business and industry internationalise.

Graham is responsible for eight industry teams and a State Operations unit which includes 38 offices in Australia. These teams develop national industry strategies focused on facilitating exports, and attracting productive foreign investments into Australia.

Strategies are developed in close collaboration with Austrade's international network of over 80 offices, peak industry bodies, federal, state and government agencies and implemented through activities to connect with Australian businesses and investment opportunities with international customers and investors. Graham's teams and work is focused on Australia's internationally competitive sectors including: Agribusiness & Food, Advanced Manufacturing & Defence, Education, International Health, Major Infrastructure & Urban Development, Resources & Energy, Services & Technology, Tourism & Regional Investment.

Graham Putt is responsible for the delivery of Austrade's strategic investment priorities, providing functional leadership to Australia's international investment network and service delivery leadership to the onshore investment teams. Graham also works closely with Austrade's international network on their investment plans, activities and intelligence to ensure a consistent approach to attracting and facilitating productive foreign direct investment.

Graham has brought a wealth of commercial experience to his role at Austrade that will help drive the organisation's investment agenda. Graham has held senior executive roles at the Commonwealth Bank of Australia and, prior to that, was Group Executive at Perpetual Trustees, CEO of Premium Investors, COO of Treasury Group and Managing Director of the Royal Bank of Canada's securities services business for Asia. He is a Chartered Accountant and graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

David Larkin AM is the CEO of Hancock Agriculture, which oversees both the S. Kidman & Co Pty Ltd business, one of Australia’s largest beef producers which includes 101,000 square kilometres and the existing cattle and feedlot interests of Hancock Prospecting Pty Ltd. The herd is currently at over 330,000 head.

Previously running his own vertically-integrated beef business using a service kill out of the Northern Cooperative Meat Co at Casino, NSW to supply his award-winning Atron beef grass fed and grain fed brand programs, David sold his Atron business to Thomas Foods International in May, 2016.  He has since worked in a senior executive role with TFI, primarily representing the company in trade access issues.

In addition to his own business, David spent six years as Chairman of the Australian Meat Industry Council.  During his term as AMIC chair he played important roles in developing trade access agreements and removing trade barriers for Australian beef in emerging markets like China, as well as the US, Japan and Korea.

David was awarded AMIC’s Distinguished Australian of the Year award in 2009, and received an AM in the Queen’s Birthday Honours in June 2017.

An innovative and strategic leader in the Australian agribusiness industry, David’s success can be attributed to his deep knowledge and leadership in the Australian beef industry and involvement in Australian export and Foreign Trade Policy formulation – underpinned with instinctive entrepreneurial skills. With an ability to constantly innovate and integrate the beef supply chain, ahead of the dynamic requirements of the international markets.

David’s vision as CEO of Hancock Agriculture is to be the best Australian Agricultural Business and to have the World’s largest full blood and pure bred wagyu herd.

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