Board Director Candidates 2024
William Martel MAICD
I am a proud grain grower located between Dunedoo and Dubbo in the Central West of NSW and have built our operation up from a single 773ha farm to 5 properties covering 4081ha, in the 18 years I have been farming. We grow canola, wheat, barley, oats and breed sheep and trade cattle. Through the growth of our business, we have been firmly focused on profitability and sustainability.
After gaining a degree in Agricultural Economics from the University of New England, I worked for grain trading company Agracom in Quirindi, NSW, before honing skills in farm economics as a business consultant for Rural Consulting Services in Brisbane. Since returning to the farm, I have kept up my engagement with the wider ag industry through two terms as a GRDC Northern Panel member as well as 4 years on the board of the Central West Local Land Services. I have presented at a GRDC Business update on farm machinery costings and returns on investment.
I have been an active part of my local rural communities with roles in our local Landcare group as secretary, current treasurer of the Dapper Dog Group, member and president on our children’s school P and F committees. I also love my sport and play in local cricket and touch football competitions, and referee local rugby games on weekends when I can.
These various roles have led me to develop a deep knowledge of the grain industry and the challenges growers face, effective communication skills and the ability to work in a team, as well as strategic acumen to contribute effectively at board level.
My goals reflect GrainGrowers purpose, which is to build a more profitable and sustainable grain industry. It would be a great privilege to represent GrainGrowers members and advocate for a stronger grain industry.
Nigel Corish Assoc. Dip. B.App Science, GAICD
I am a fourth-generation farmer from Goondiwindi OLD. I am 41 years old and is the managing director of New Leaf Ag Pty Ltd, a family-owned company which operates 4000ha of cultivated land near Condamine, QLD, producing summer & winter crops including wheat, barley, chickpeas, sorghum and cotton. I completed a Bachelor of Applied Science Agronomy in 2003 at the University of Queensland before returning to the family business.
Personal attributes that make me an excellent board candidate for Grain Growers include, twenty years of farming experience and ten years of board experience, including corporate governance, financial literacy and strategic planning. I am currently the deputy Chair of Grain Growers Limited, Chair of Ability Agriculture and sit on the board of Cotton Seed Distributors and Nuffield Australia, I am a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors Course and regularly attend the Australian Governance summit.
I was appointed to the Grain Growers in 2019 as the northern region director. I have focused on maintaining a strong voice for Grain Growers across policy, sustainability and leadership. I am focused on the vision of Grain Growers which is “Building a more profitable and sustainable industry for Australian growers”. I am passionate about sustainability and have recently been appointed to the Grains Sustainability Framework Council.
I am passionate about Australian Agriculture, through my farming, business experience and rural networks. I have a desire to strengthen the Grains industry into the future and represent the members of grain growers. I have the passion to continue to represent grain growers across Australia over the next three years so that we keep the industry strong, profitable and sustainable.
Ian Gourley BEc, AICD member
I am a second-generation grain grower in northwest NSW, farming over 6000ha producing wheat, durum, chickpeas, faba beans, canola, cotton, and sorghum. After completing my university degree in economics and finance, I worked for various agricultural commodity trading companies before moving back to manage the family farm in 2000 where I have been heavily involved in both industry, community, and sporting organisations on both a local and national scale.
I have been a director of Grain Growers Limited since 2021. Prior to that I sat on Grain Growers National Policy Group for 9 years and president of Dryland Cotton Research Association since its inception in 2014.
The experience I have built over 30 years in the grains industry combined with my proven record of common-sense business acumen and financial management skills will allow me to contribute further to the current success of Grain Growers. I have worked in all areas of the grains industry including research, production, transport, and marketing, allowing me to view the industry from many different perspectives and assess the role of Grain Growers and where the company can have the most impact and benefit for growers.
It has been a privilege to represent the grain growers of Australia during my first term on the board of GrainGrowers, this experience has provided me with a sound understanding of Grain Growers vision for the future and I feel that with my experience both in a practical farming perspective combined with my background in the grains industry over the past 30 years, I can ensure that this vision is aligned with the many and varied issues that grain growers in the northern region will face, now and in the future in a complex economic and climatic environment.