External factors around the globe that impact New Zealand, and factors within New Zealand such as regulations and weather that impact farmers, all affect Ravensdown. Alongside the major goal of ensuring shareholder value and business viability, the Ravensdown Board is working with management to adjust to the changing factors, positioning the company for the future.  

 The vision is always ‘smarter farming for a better New Zealand’, and the members of the Board challenge the thinking of management, and of each other, to ensure credibility of decisions. Rigour of debate comes from the different perspectives of the members and their experience in different operations – international and national big business, investment, farm management, law, engineering, science, and the fertiliser industry. The six shareholder-elected directors (three from each island) cover sheep, beef, deer, dairy, cropping and horticulture.  

 As well as ongoing review, refresh and adjust, there is an annual cycle of potential change. Each year a director in the North Island and one in the South finishes their three-year term. They can choose to re-stand up to four times. The appointed directors will also be reviewed annually. They bring expertise that is not common within the shareholder elected directors and are chosen to meet the changing needs of Ravensdown. The over-arching goal is to ensure that the company has a good foundation for rigour of debate and decision-making.  

 Ravensdown has several sub-committees of the main board, all involving directors. Audit and Risk is chaired by an appointed director (Graham Stuart). The Appointments and Remuneration, Share and Governance Excellence Committees are chaired by shareholder elected directors (Nicky Hyslop, Jane Montgomery and me, respectively), which helps to build experience and skills for the future. Of note is the importance placed on governance –the Governance Excellence Committee as a sub-committee of the board. This committee comprises appointed-director Tony Carter, and two elected directors Kate Faulks (South Island) and Mike Davey (North Island). As Chair, I am working with the committee members and a select group of specialists from within the Ravensdown business to create value for shareholders through information about governance. This year you will see an article about governance in each Quarterly Update. You will also see some changes in the election information when the time comes. We will be promoting the skills matrix, indicating collective competencies for the Board, and also where we feel that gaps might be appearing. It will then be up to you, the shareholders, to decide what to do, including deciding if you have what it takes to add value to the Board. 

 Being a director of a company bears considerable responsibility and increasing liability but can be a rewarding experience. If you have ideas about how to make Ravensdown more resilient and relevant, your time could be coming to put those ideas on the Board table and into rigorous debate. 

Jacqueline Rowarth 

Chair, Ravensdown Governance Excellence Committee 

Shareholder elected director (2019, 2022)