Growing portfolios with natural capital
The 6th Agri Investor Australia Forum was held successfully at Grand Hyatt in Melbourne on 6 October. Joined by agri-focused investors, fund managers, strategic partners and more in-person to firmly plant natural capital as a strategy to create a net-zero portfolio.
Analyse crucial trends and discover investor tendencies to help you understand the best way to raise agri funds, use agTech efficiently, and gain a dynamic outlook on investment opportunities.
Join the forum to harness the power of natural capital to future-proof your portfolio this October.
Why Australia Forum?
Meet the influential agri-investing community
Reconnect with 200+ investors and thought-leaders across natural assets.
Gain in-depth insight from investors
Hear from industry titans about the key drivers for natural capital investment.
Supercharge your fundraising
Find the right investor for your fund and start conversations to place your firm at the front of the pack.
Meet our Keynote
Antoinette Masiero
Board Director, Aware Super
Antoinette shared alternative ways to communicate with Supers. Learn how to boost your profile and open new doors to opportunities.
2022 Speakers include:
2022 Confirmed investor attendees include:
View crucial topics shaping the conference
Key agenda items include:
- Investor appetite for agri funds vs. direct agri investments
- How do family offices transform their capital into sustainable and low carbon portfolios?
- Which strategies are on investor radars?
- Where are the value-added opportunities in Australian ag?
- And more.
What our attendees say?
Stephen Meerwald
Harmony Agriculture and Food
Great opportunity to understand what is needed in Ag investment and how different sectors view the opportunity and risks of Ag investments.
Angus Ingram
Kilter Rural
A Pragmatic discussion about deploying capital into agri investments
Tim Findlay
Westpac Banking Corporation
Fantastic networking event and a chance to hear from experts how to make agri investments work.
Partner with Australia Forum
We help brands to meet the right investors, close communication gaps, and maximise exposures among the influential agriculture investment community. Attendees are exclusively decision-makers at the leading agriculture investors, fund and asset managers across the region and globe.
Sponsorship gives you:
- Early access to networking and meet the right investors
- Opportunity to share your thought-leadership
- High-profile branding opportunities
- And much, much more …
Contact James Baker to discuss your branding and thought-leadership options.
Hot topics our speakers will discuss
View the latest macro and micro market trends shaping our agenda.
Interested in speaking at the conference? Please contact Rida Shaikh.
2022 Speakers include:
Brer Adams
Managing Director, Investments, Pollination
Brer has extensive experience in investing and advising on climate finance, infrastructure, renewable energy, carbon and clean technology sectors. Prior to joining Pollination, Brer was founder and CEO of a renewable energy project development compan… Read full bio
Simon Altschwager
National Director, Agribusiness, CBRE
Simon is presently a National Director within the Agribusiness team servicing in a combined Quality and Risk Management and Business Development role across Australia. Simon has been active in the valuations sector for over 20 years, in both the cust… Read full bio
Campbell Andrews
Executive Director, First Exar Family Office
Campbell has 20 years of experience working in banking, corporate finance and family office investing for organisations including Macquarie Group and KPMG. Campbell has participated in a number of water based investments, both directly and via invest… Read full bio
Albert Bielinko
Partner, Telstra Ventures
Albert has helped founders build businesses that matter at Telstra Ventures for the last six years. In a past life, he co-founded an on-demand food delivery service in Sydney. For his sins, Albert was an investment banker at Goldman Sachs for almost… Read full bio
Rob Brooks
Chief Investment Officer, goFARM Australia
Rob is an experienced real assets investment manager having built and managed agriculture and water portfolios for institutional and family office investors in Australia. At goFARM, our purpose is to “Transform Australian agriculture”. We focus on co… Read full bio
Emma Coath
Managing Director, Rocket Seeder
Emma is the Managing Director of Rocket Seeder Limited in Australia. She has a passion for building a sustainable agrifood sector by supporting innovative startup founders. Emma has worked in the food and agriculture sector for the past 25 years, in… Read full bio
Ben Craw
Managing Director, Oxley Capital Partners
Specialising in food and agribusiness investment, Ben has for 20+ years been a trusted advisor to clients across the supply chain. Currently, as Managing Director and Co-founder of Oxley Capital Partners, Ben spends his days guiding food & agribu… Read full bio
John Finisdore
Senior Manager, Natural Capital, Point Advisory
As Senior Manager of Natural Capital at Point Advisory (an ERM company), John helps organisations maximize the returns from natural capital through strategic action on finance, biodiversity, ecosystem services, water, nature based solutions and suppl… Read full bio
Elizabeth Goldfinch
Director, Mutual Trust
Lizzy is driven to help families and their rising generations address the opportunities and challenges that come with significant wealth. She believes that a family’s greatest asset is the individual family members, and she is passionate about helpin… Read full bio
Bret Harper
Head of Research, RepuTex
Bret Harper is Head of Research at RepuTex, leading RepuTex’s carbon markets research team, and is a specialist in Australian carbon offsets policy. He has a background in carbon farming and industrial greenhouse gas emissions analysis, specialising… Read full bio
Simon Hone
Director, Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences (ABARES)
Simon Hone is an economist at the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences (ABARES). Prior joining ABARES, he was an economist at the Productivity Commission and quantitative economics lead at water consultancy Aither. Fo… Read full bio
Daniel Kemp
APAC Editor, Infrastructure Investor
Daniel Kemp is APAC Editor for PEI Group’s Infrastructure Investor and Agri Investor, overseeing coverage of the Asia-Pacific region for both titles. He joined PEI in February 2018 and is based in Sydney. Daniel is an experienced B2B journalist, work… Read full bio
Guy Kingwill
Country Director - Australia, Agriculture Capital
Guy is the Managing Director of AC Australia operations. His focus includes both the development and growth of AC’s current Australia citrus assets and assisting with opportunities for future investment expansion in the region. Guy’s previous role wa… Read full bio
Ben Krasnostein
Managing Director, Kilara – (backed by Liberman/Krasnostein family)
Ben has over 20 years of experience across corporate advisory, legal advisory, commercial transactions and deal structuring in a variety of industry sectors, including renewable energy, commercial property, sustainable finance and environmental marke… Read full bio
Ethy Levy
Managing Partner, Kinneret Impact Ventures
Ethy is an impact investor, entrepreneur and strong supporter of using technology to impact lives and the planet. She has held senior roles in the Israeli Government focusing on International Trade, Innovation and Investments as well as senior diplom… Read full bio
Alasdair MacLeod
Founder and Executive Chairman, Macdoch Group in Australia
Alasdair MacLeod is Executive Chairman of the Macdoch Group, a private investment company with offices in London and Sydney. The vision of the Group is to see Australia become a global leader in building natural capital and transitioning to a low car… Read full bio
Antoinette Masiero
Board Director, AWARE Super
Antoinette has been a director on the board of Vicsuper, and now, a director on AWARE super, over the last five years as a member representative director. She holds GAIST and GAICD, MEd – languages education, Bachelor of Education, Diploma in Superan… Read full bio
Donna Mulcahy
General Manager, Water Partners (Aust)
Donna Mulcahy is General Manager of Water Partners (Aust) Ltd which is Australia’s only NFP Water Exchange. Water Partners provides education and trading services to the wider Irrigation community through innovative platforms and products capable of… Read full bio
Tom Murphy
Head of Natural Capital, QIC
Tom has over 20 years of experience in public and private institutional investment across the US, UK and Australia. He joined QIC in 2018 to develop QIC’s long-term agriculture, natural capital and regional investment strategy and was appointed a Dir… Read full bio
Sarah Nolet
Co-Founder and General Partner, Tenacious Ventures
Sarah Nolet is an internationally recognized food systems innovation expert and co-founder of Tenacious Ventures, a high-support, high conviction, sector-specific venture firm at the intersection of digitally native agriculture and climate solutions.… Read full bio
Simon Phillips
Partner, Analyst, Real Assets, Albourne Partners (Asia)
Simon is an Analyst at Albourne covering agricultural strategies in Australia and New Zealand. He has been at Albourne since 2011 and is currently based in New Zealand. Simon has a BSc (Hons) in Agricultural Economics and Management and oversees fami… Read full bio
Nick Ping
Deputy Chief Investment Officer, Timberland, Manulife Investment Management
Nick Ping is Deputy Chief Investment Officer, Timberland, Manulife Investment Management, and is responsible for the development of new investment strategies and growth initiatives, client investment governance and identifying and mitigating risk exp… Read full bio
Tanya Pritchard
Acting Head of Innovation and Impact Investment, WWF-Australia
Conservation scientist with 30 years experience in carbon and biodiversity offset projects, impact investing, co-benefit and biodiversity assessment, threatened species conservation, landscape regeneration, project management, working in cross cultur… Read full bio
Manish Rastogi
Head of Real Assets, Frontier
Manish Rastogi is the Head of Real Assets with Frontier having joined the firm in August 2017. He leads a dedicated team of real assets investment consultants that provides investment consulting, manager research and support on infrastructure, real e… Read full bio
Adrian Redlich
Executive Chairman and Chief Investment Officer, Merricks Capital
Adrian is the founder of Merricks Capital and is responsible for investment strategy, investors, and portfolio across all Merricks Capital products. During the last decade Adrian has leveraged his 25+ years of market experience to drive the creation… Read full bio
Naomi Siegel Soderstrom, FASSA
Professor of Accounting and Deputy Head of Department, The University of Melbourne
Dr. Soderstrom received her Ph.D. in Accounting and Information Systems from Northwestern University. She is a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences in Australia. Her primary research areas are sustainability and management accounting. Dr. Soderst… Read full bio
Heechung Sung
Head of Natural Capital, Clean Energy Finance Corporation
Heechung Sung is the Head of Natural Capital at the Clean Energy Finance Corporation. Heech is leading the organisation’s investment strategy across agriculture, forestry and broader nature-based solutions to accelerate and contribute to the decarbon… Read full bio
Anne Maree Weston
Head of Agribusiness and Food, Austrade
Anne Maree Weston leads Austrade’s Centre of Excellence for the Agribusiness and Food industry. As such, she drives strategy for Austrade’s promotion and facilitation activities for Australian agrifood export companies and foreign investors seeking t… Read full bio
Dania Zinurova
Portfolio Manager, Wilson Asset Management
Dania is a portfolio manager of Wilson Asset Management Alternative Assets Fund. In her role she is responsible for the portfolio strategy, portfolio construction and investing capital across various asset classes within alternative assets. Prior to… Read full bio
Discover the industry shifting programme
Gain actionable insights and discuss challenges and opportunities across the Australian agriculture landscape.
Contact our producer Rida Shaikh if you want to hear any specific topics.
View agenda page
Agenda
Agri Australia Forum - Thursday 6th
Times in UTC+11
07:30 - 08:30
Investor Breakfast (Open to institutional investors only)
Manish Rastogi
Open to institutional investors only. An intimate, off-the-record, closed-door session for strategic sharing and insight around focused topics. Pre-registration is required.
08:30 - 09:00
Registration & Coffee
09:00 - 09:10
Welcome address by PEI & Chair
Ben Craw
09:10 - 10:00
Keynote Panel: The present & future of natural capital
Adrian Redlich,
Tom Murphy,
Tanya Pritchard,
Brer Adams
- Understanding the definition of natural capital and its evolution as an asset class
- Geopolitics, food security and its impact on agriculture & natural capital
- What are the best subsectors and strategies for investment in the asset class?
10:00 - 10:45
Investor Panel: The real assets investment strategy for domestic investors
Daniel Kemp,
Heechung Sung,
Dania Zinurova,
John Finisdore
- What is the investor appetite for real assets in the current environment?
- How does agriculture and natural capital configure in the real assets portfolio?
- What is holding Australian investors back from agri and how can this be overcome?
10:45 - 11:10
Coffee break
11:10 - 11:50
Panel: The emergence of carbon markets
Naomi Siegel Soderstrom, FASSA,
Nick Ping,
Bret Harper,
Simon Altschwager
- Is carbon trading an innovative solution or defeating the purpose?
- How can carbon offsetting projects be turned into additional revenue streams?
- Understanding the multiplier effect of carbon value in valuations
Naomi Siegel Soderstrom, FASSA
Professor of Accounting and Deputy Head of Department, The University of Melbourne
Read bio
11:50 - 13:10
Networking Lunch
13:10 - 13:30
Investor Keynote Presentation: How Agri can learn to speak 'superannuation' in a way that could open doors to investment
Antoinette Masiero
- Do you know what you’re really saying with your investment pitch?
- What are the challenges Agri has speaking the ‘superannuation’ language?
- Understanding the interests of bigger investors and what their needs really are
- How can you effectively communicate with Supers and open doors to opportunity?
13:30 - 14:15
Family Office Panel: Families discuss sustainable transformations
Ben Krasnostein,
Alasdair MacLeod,
Elizabeth Goldfinch,
Campbell Andrews
- Hear from family offices who are setting the example through sustainable transformations of their agri portfolios
- How do you reconcile modern day values with family legacy?
- Sharing success stories and lessons learned from ag investing portfolios
14:15 - 15:00
Panel: Spearheading innovation in agri through tech
Albert Bielinko,
Sarah Nolet,
Anne Maree Weston,
Emma Coath
- How has the food security crisis driven up investments in the sector?
- The role of agtech in helping achieve ESG targets
- Innovation and technologies in improving food production systems
15:00 - 15:30
Coffee Break
15:30 - 16:00
Investor Panel: Overseas investors’ take on Australian & global natural capital markets
Daniel Kemp,
Simon Phillips,
Ethy Levy
- How is Australia viewed within global the natural capital portfolio and how does it
compare with other international markets? - Where do international investors see the best returns in the ag sector and are they
looking to increase their allocations in Australia and elsewhere? - ESG considerations for Australian and global investments
16:00 - 16:40
Panel: Deep dive into the water market
Guy Kingwill,
Simon Hone,
Donna Mulcahy,
Rob Brooks
- The balancing act of profit and social impact
- Reducing water usage- did Australia get the pricing structure right or should we be talking about water offsetting markets?
- Challenges and opportunities for 2023
Simon Hone
Director, Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences (ABARES)
Read bio
16:40 - 17:40
