Our board

Richard brings a breadth and depth of industry experience to the role of Grains Australia CEO, having worked for more than 30 years in senior management and leadership roles in the grains industry and in export-commodity industries. As CEO, he ensures that Grains Australia delivers value to the Australian grains industry through its management of classification, market access, market insights and market education.

Based in South Australia, Catherine Cooper is an experienced Non-Executive Director with a portfolio of approximately 50 Board positions over 20 years. She is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (FAICD).

In addition to her background as a corporate lawyer, Catherine has had a senior management career in agribusiness (Elders and Foster’s Brewing Group) both domestically and internationally.

Catherine brings a wealth of experience in strategy, R&D, and achieving commercial outcomes. Her strategic governance and risk management skills are well established.

Catherine’s roles include Chair of the Environment Protection Authority SA and a director of the Australian Composites Manufacturing CRC. She is also a former Deputy Chair/Commissioner of the Australian Fisheries Management Authority.

Based in Victoria, Stuart Richardson has over 30 years’ experience in the grains industry.

A former Director of Grain Trade Australia and former Head of Trading at AWB, Stuart developed and executed expansion strategies for AWB Limited global markets, as well as managing domestic activities.

Stuart also has experience in the horticulture sector through investments in turf genetics and marketing company Turfbreed Pty Ltd which focuses grass genetics for growers in Australia, owning plant variety rights to nine high quality turf varieties marketed and sold across Australia.

He is currently one of the leading physical grain brokers in Australia and is affiliated with the McDonald Pelz Global Commodities group globally.