AUSVEG appoints Michael Coote as new Chief Executive Officer

Australian vegetable industry body AUSVEG has announced the appointment of Michael Coote as its new Chief Executive Officer, who will begin his new role on 1 July.

Michael Coote replaces outgoing AUSVEG CEO, James Whiteside, who has resigned to pursue other interests.

In a media release, AUSVEG said Coote has been a key member of the AUSVEG Leadership Team, having held the role of the AUSVEG National Manager – Export Development since 2014.

He has led and transformed the industry’s export activities and strategy over the last seven years, with a strong focus on grower capability building and market engagement to grow the industry’s trade to high-impact markets.

He also has a background in agriculture and government, bringing a high level of enthusiasm, industry knowledge and strong networks across the supply chain to the role.

AUSVEG Chair Bill Bulmer said the appointment of Coote to the role of CEO was an exciting opportunity for the organisation and testament to the high calibre of leadership that exists within the AUSVEG team.

“Michael is well-known to the Australian vegetable and potato industry. During his time at AUSVEG, Michael has demonstrated exceptional skills in management, leadership and stakeholder engagement that have helped improve the outlook of exporting for Australian vegetable growers in key markets,” Bulmer said.

“The AUSVEG Board undertook an independent recruitment process that identified several strong candidates, but Michael’s affinity to the industry, his deep understanding of how the industry operates, his networks across the supply chain and his vision for the future of the organisation and the broader industry make him the ideal person to lead AUSVEG for years to come,” he said.

“The AUSVEG Board is confident that Coote is the most qualified person for the role and will lead the organisation, and the industry more broadly, through the COVID-19 pandemic and lead a period of growth and prosperity in the years ahead,” he continued.

AUSVEG is the national body representing Australia’s vegetable and potato growers.

Bulmer also paid tribute to James Whiteside, who has been a strong advocate for efficient and effective representation at national and state levels.

“James has been a tremendous asset to AUSVEG, boosting the organisation’s advocacy capability to ensure AUSVEG has a key voice to government and the broader industry, and has helped grow the Hort Connections event to become the leading event in Australian horticulture,” Bulmer said.

“The Australian vegetable and potato industries are two growing and dynamic sectors within horticulture, and the industry’s success will in part be driven by the depth of industry and business knowledge represented in AUSVEG’s Board and its senior management,” he said.

Bulmer also said he is confident the appointment of Michael Coote as AUSVEG CEO will be the start of an exciting period for the vegetable and potato industries as they work towards securing a more successful and profitable future for the country’s hard-working vegetable and potato growers.