The Regional Investment Corporation board is pleased to announce the appointment of Bruce King as its inaugural CEO, effective today.
Mr King comes with over 15 years’ experience in agribusiness and finance. He’s held senior positions at Rabobank in Australia and New York. More recently he’s been an investment manager specialising in water and agricultural enterprises and has run his own agribusiness consulting business since 2017. His early career was in grain trading.
He lives on a property near Orange with his wife and young family.
Announcing Mr King’s appointment, RIC chair David Foster said Mr King has the credentials and broad experience for the job, and importantly a genuine understanding of the agriculture sector.
“We did a nationwide search, and found exactly what we were after, in our home base of Orange, NSW.”
“Mr King has a deep understanding of Australian agricultural production systems and the investment decisions required to underpin their long term success.”
Reflecting on his appointment, Mr King said he was excited about being part of a start-up organisation whose purpose is to see rural and regional communities grow and prosper.
“I grew up on a 7,600 hectare beef cattle and mixed cropping property in Central Queensland and know the opportunities and challenges farmers face on a day-to-day basis. Combined with my experience in agribusiness and finance, I bring a thorough and grounded understanding of the agriculture sector,” he said.
“Agriculture is the life blood of this country,” he said. “I know the ripple effect a strong and vibrant farming sector can have on its community and the broader economy.”
“I am proud to lead a team that will drive investment in the regions.”
“My priority is to continue to support producers during these challenging times. I will be spending my first days building the RIC team and finalising the recruitment of our permanent workforce, so that the RIC can continue to deliver this support.”
David Foster thanked interim CEO Matt Ryan for his leadership while in the role.
“Matt’s been a driving force for the RIC in its early days. Setting an organisation up from scratch is no easy feat but Matt’s shown
commitment and determination and done it all with a sense of humour.”
Mr Ryan will stay on at the RIC in an advisory capacity for the next month to conduct a thorough handover with Mr King.
Media Contact:Julia Brown | 0422 655 999 | julia.brown@agriculture.gov.au