AGIC Asia 2025 speakers

Andrew Goyder

Andrew Goyder, Chair, Grain Trade Australia

Andrew has over 20 years industry experience encompassing grain production, the seed industry and the trade. Previous roles include Regional Manager Southern WA with Grain Pool WA and involvement in the seed industry and export canola industry with SGB Australia.

Andrew is currently Managing Director of Grain Link WA, established in September 1999. Prior to GTA Andrew has a history of representative Committee and Director roles in the West Australian industry including NACMA, CBH and GIWA.

Dr Angela Macdonald PSM
Dr Angela Macdonald PSM

Dr Angela Macdonald PSM, Australian Ambassador to Thailand, in Bangkok

Dr Angela Macdonald PSM is a senior career officer of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Before arriving in Thailand, she served as First Assistant Secretary of Middle East and Africa Division. She has served overseas as Deputy Head of Mission at the Australian High Commission in Kuala Lumpur, Deputy Head of Mission at the Australian Embassy in Kabul and on postings to Brussels and Wellington. In Canberra, Angela worked in the International Division, Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet (PM&C), Crisis Management Branch and Parliamentary and Media Branch in DFAT as Executive Officer to the Secretary of PM&C and Adviser to the Minister for Foreign Affairs.

Angela received the Public Service Medal in 2015 for outstanding public service in leading DFAT’s Malaysian Airlines flight MH17 Emergency Response team in Ukraine.

His Excellency, Mr Scott Dewar
His Excellency, Mr Scott Dewar

His Excellency, Mr Scott Dewar, Australian Ambassador to the People’s Republic of China, in Beijing

H E Mr Scott Dewar commenced as Australian Ambassador to China in January 2024. Prior to taking up this role he was Deputy Secretary International and Security in the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet.
Previously Scott has served in the Department of Defence and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. He has also worked in the Office of the Prime Minister and the Office of the Minister for Defence. His previous diplomatic postings were to Seoul, Beijing and as Consul-General in Honolulu.

Pat O'Shannassy
Pat O'Shannassy

Pat O’Shannassy, CEO, Grain Trade Australia

Grain Trade Australia is a leading trade organisation in the Australian grains industry, and provides an industry driven self-regulatory framework to the grains industry. Pat has vast industry experience in trading, risk management, policy and government relations, having spent more than 25 years in the grains industry in Australia and USA. He has a diverse experience across the entire value chain, gained from working for trade houses, financial institutions as well as customer service and information businesses.

He currently serves as President of the International Grain Trade Coalition and holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Agriculture from University of Melbourne, a Post-Graduate Diploma in Applied Finance and Investment and is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (GAICD).

Stephen Thompson
Stephen Thompson

Stephen Thompson, Partner, HFW Sydney

Stephen is a Partner at global law firm HFW, based in Sydney. Stephen specialises in international trade with a focus on soft commodities. His commercial practice includes advising on sale and purchase contracts, charterparties, bills of lading and other sea-carriage contracts, as well as storage, warehousing, and distribution agreements. He also advises on structured trade contracts and project documentation for use in shipbuilding projects. Stephen’s contentious practice covers international arbitration, both ad hoc and arbitrations under the ICC, GTA, LMAA, GAFTA, FOSFA, PORAM, SIAC and UNCITRAL Rules, as well as through the Australian and English Courts. He has worked in the Australian grains industry since 2003 starting with AWB and, since deregulation, many of the national and international participants in this trade. 

Stephen was heavily involved with the industry and its representative bodies during the bulk wheat deregulation process, access to port infrastructure, and national and international markets. Stephen is ranked in Chambers and the Doyles Guide.

Adam Richardson
Adam Richardson

Adam Richardson, Partner, HFW Singapore

Adam is a Partner in the Commodities department of HFW’s Singapore office with a focus on international trade, commodities and shipping matters. Adam’s area of expertise is international arbitration, both ad hoc and arbitrations under the GAFTA, FOSFA, LMAA, ICC, SIAC and UNCITRAL Rules.

He also advises on non-contentious matters such as physical commodities contracts (including storage, warehousing, marketing and distribution agreements) and structured trade finance. A regular speaker at commodities and offshore seminars, he has also delivered training on GAFTA, GTA and SCoTA contracts, amongst others.

Adam has completed 3 client secondments: 2 as in-house legal counsel at international trading companies and a further secondment as in-house legal counsel supporting the physical commodity trading desk of an international bank, specialising in structured trade transactions.

Adam was recognised in Asian Legal Business’ annual ‘40 Under 40’ list for 2022, which profiles the 40 most accomplished lawyers in Asia under the age of 40. He was also previously ranked as one of Singapore’s top 20 most promising legal luminaries aged under 40 (Singapore Business Review, 2018).

Nick Poynder
Nick Poynder

Nick Poynder, Partner, HFW Shanghai

Nick is a Partner at global law firm HFW and is head of the firm’s Shanghai office. Nick specialises in shipping matters including in charterparty, bill of lading, MOA and shipyard disputes, acting for both Mainland Chinese and overseas clients. He has a strong international arbitration practice with cases under ICC, LCIA, LMAA, SIAC and HKIAC. Nick also regularly advises on insolvency issues and security for finance leasing matters as well as handling disputes over international trade, logistics and commercial matters. Nick is ranked in Chambers China 2024 for Shipping Litigation. Chambers quotes clients as saying, “Nick is a very professional lawyer who has the clients’ interests in his mind” and “he is our preferred counsel for cross-border dispute resolution”. Nick is also listed as a Shipping expert in Who’s Who Legal and named a Leading Individual in the Legal 500 Asia Pacific Guide 2024.

Khoon Goh
Khoon Goh

Khoon Goh, Head of Research, Asia – ANZ

Khoon oversees and co-ordinates the Asia economics and strategy research functions in Singapore. His particular area of focus is on Asian macro and currencies. Khoon actively travels to market ANZ’s views to investor clients, such as central banks, hedge funds and real money; as well as corporate clients. He is often quoted in the business media and makes regular appearances on radio and television, as well as on industry panels and conferences.

Khoon has over 20 years of experience working in various economic and strategy roles across both the public and private sectors. Graduating with a Master of Commerce (Hons) degree majoring in International Economics from the University of Auckland, Khoon was the Manager in charge of the New Zealand Treasury’s Macroeconomic Forecasting Team where he was responsible for producing the official government forecasts that underpin the Budget and key policy decisions. He also served as an Economic Adviser at the Reserve Bank of New Zealand. 

Chooi Sun Leong

Chooi Sun Leong, Grain Quality, CBH Group

Chooi Sun Leong has worked in the Australian Grains Industry since 2010. She is experienced in food formulation, grain quality analysis, food safety management and quality assurance. Chooi Sun is currently the Grain Quality Lead at CBH Grain, overseeing the grain quality for domestic and export markets. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Food Science and Nutrition and an MBA from Curtin University, Western Australia.

Drew Robertson
Drew Robertson

Drew Robertson, Barley Manager, CBH Group

Drew Robertson has worked in the Australian grains industry since 2006 after graduating from the University of Western Australia with a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture degree with first class honours. Drew Robertson is currently the Barley Trading Manager at the CBH Group overseeing the groups domestic and international malting and feed barley marketing and trading activities. He has also been an active participant in industry organisations including the becoming the inaugural chair of the Grains Australia barley council (previously Barley Australia) and a member of the Grains Industry Association of Western Australia barley council. In both of these roles Drew has contributed significantly to industry good functions such as reviewing grain quality standards (Western Australia), accreditation of new barley varieties and rationalisation of malting barley varieties in Western Australian supply chain.

Michael Jester
Michael Jester

Michael Jester, Asian Trading Director, GrainCorp

Michael is the Asian Trading Director for GrainCorp Australia based in Singapore. He joined the industry more than 35 years ago and has extensive experience in the grain and feed markets worldwide with special focus on Asia.

Michael Wood
Michael Wood

Michael Wood, Principal – Rural Logic & Deputy Chair, Grain Trade Australia

Michael Wood has been an active member of the Australian Grains Industry for 30 years. He is the Managing Director of Melbourne-based grain trading and logistics company, Rural Logic. Michael is a Deputy Chair of Grain Trade Australia Board of Directors.

Founding Manager (1990) of Stockfeed company James & Son for 10 years. Aust Barley Board Victorian State Manager (5 years) and Grains Manager IMCA Malting Company (2005/2006). Former President of Grains Industry Association of Victoria and has remained on the Committee since 2005.

Diploma Applied Science (Agriculture)

David Cui
David Cui

David Cui, General Manager, GrainCorp China

David Cui holds an MBA from The National School of Development at Peking University and is the General Manager of GrainCorp Operations Limited China. David’s focus is on building, maintaining, and developing local Chinese demand for Australian, Canadian, and Ukrainian grains and oilseeds that GrainCorp originates directly from farmers. With more than 30 years working in international trade and marketing of major agricultural commodities, David has gained extensive experience in the import & export of major bulk commodities including malting barley, wheat, corn, and rice. David has presented and been a panel member of grain & oilseed forums in China and abroad with his keen insight of supply and demand, policy, price trend of major agricultural commodities and upstream Chinese demand. Previously to GrainCorp David worked for COFCO, ADM, and Toepfer International Asia Pte Ltd.

Lesley Nernberg
Lesley Nernberg

Lesley Nernberg, Lighthouse AgriSolutions for AEGIC

Lesley Nernberg is a poultry and swine nutritionist working with an independent consulting business, Lighthouse Agri-Solutions and in collaboration with FeedGuys Resources. He is mainly responsible for supporting and developing feed industry related business opportunities in Asia with a focus on providing animal nutrition support to animal feed customers and poultry and livestock producers. 

Lesley is originally from a beef/grain farm in western Canada and earned his M.Sc in Animal Nutrition from the University of Manitoba where he investigated the use of phytase enzyme. Lesley started his career in the feed industry working as a nutritionist for Landmark Feeds and Maple Leaf Foods, a large Canadian commercial feed company and poultry and swine integrator/processor – engaging in various roles such as on farm feed sales and support, marketing, tech transfer, and R&D support functions. He went on to develop international feed industry experience working with commodity-based organisations responsible for the research, promotion, and market development of key feed ingredients.

Lesley moved to SE Asia in June 2012 where he has taken on roles in the Asian feed industry on a technical and business development perspective working with various distributors premix providers, and feed additive companies, with roles at companies such as Diamond V, Biomin, and ADM over the past 12 years.

Through his past experiences as a feed company nutritionist, and now independently working with Asian distributors, and feed ingredient suppliers, Lesley brings a combination of technical expertise and an applied approach to animal nutrition and animal feeding practices.

Leo Nankervis
Leo Nankervis

A/Prof Leo Nankervis, James Cook University for AEGIC

A/Prof Leo Nankervis is an expert in aquaculture nutrition and feed development. He leads the Tropical Aquafeeds Innovations Laboratory at James Cook University, which engages with fundamental research, development and consultancy within the Australian and international aquaculture industries.

With a strong track record of commercial research, development and management within the global aquafeeds industry, A/Prof Nankervis has particular interests in the interface between research and implementation. He brings a diversity of experience, having lived in Australia, Norway and The Netherlands for extended periods and working across the aquaculture industry in 5 continents. Having led large highly skilled research and business groups, A/Prof Nankervis has experience with nutrition, formulation, quality, sustainability, feed safety, communications and feed production technologies in addition to his pimary focus of nutrition R&D.

Research interests include using physiology to solve commercially relevant production bottlenecks, raw materials for aquafeeds, nutrient requirements, digestive processes in aquatic organisms, taste and palatability.

Kristian Just
Kristian Just

Kristian Just, National Sales Manager, Symbio Laboratories

Kristian Just is the National Sales Manager for Symbio Laboratories and also the Head of Inspections for their subsidiary company Australian Inspection Services Group.

Kristian has over 20 years’ experience in the agriculture industry working on farms, manufacture of stock feeds and in the grain export sector. 

From his background, Kristian has an extensive understanding of grain quality and food safety associated with international grain trade. Kristian holds a Bachelor of Science (Aquaculture) (Hons) from the University of Tasmania, as well as, an MBA from the Queensland University of Technology.

Julie O'Dea
Julie O'Dea

Julie O’Dea, General Manager Quality and Inventory, Viterra, Australia.

Julie is responsible for overseeing grain quality and food safety requirements throughout the Viterra network from when the commodities are delivered by growers through to the product being loaded onto a vessel. Julie’s role also involves engaging with customers, industry stakeholders and government to understand market requirements to ensure market access for South Australian grain. Julie has 20 years’ experience within the grain supply chain.


Ole Houe
Ole Houe

Ole Houe, CEO, IKON Commodities

Ole Houe has been involved in International Trading and Risk Management for more than 15 years in a number of different roles with experience in grain, sugar and steel.

Ole has held international trading roles in the steel industry as well as the grain industry and has lived in the UK, Hong Kong and Australia. Most recently he was Senior Manager with FCStone Australia Pty Ltd heading up their advanced risk management division in Australia. Prior to that Ole was employed by GrainCorp for 7 years in various trading roles.

Dr Ken Quail
Dr Ken Quail

Dr Ken Quail, General Manager – Research & Technical Services, AEGIC

Dr Ken Quail has over 35 years’ experience in grain quality, processing and grain food products. He has a vast understanding of flour milling, baking and noodle production and has undertaken significant engagement with flour millers and manufacturers in international markets across Asia and the Middle East as well as the domestic market.

Ken has directed successful research programs with a range of companies in a commercial capacity as well as in collaboration with not-for-profit organisations including Cooperative Research Centres. He has delivered a range of research projects resulting in commercial outcomes including new products, production efficiency gains and testing services. Ken has also developed and delivered grain industry training programs in Australia and internationally.