MEET THE LEADERS
Andrew McDonald
Meet Andrew, our Chief Executive Officer. Andrew has a wealth of business expertise within the Australian Meat Industry and is the son of founder, JR McDonald, so there is no guessing how he got the top job...
Andrew first joined the family-owned business in 1988 and dedicated 15 years to working in every department (his father making sure he worked his way through the ranks). Through this experience, he developed an in-depth understanding of the key drivers and became highly skilled in both upstream and downstream elements of the business.
Throughout his tenure, Andrew held several critical roles such as Livestock Manager and Sales Manager before being appointed Managing Director. Andrew chose to leave the business in 2003 to gain experience elsewhere before rejoining in 2012 and being appointed CEO in 2014.
Since his return, Andrew has been instrumental in driving the development of our business transformation and has built an exceptionally strong executive and management team around him. (That many would say make him look good).
A talented tennis player, Andrew defeated Bindaree CPO Todd Newton in the hotly anticipated final of the Inverell Heights tennis competition. Rumours are circling of a re-match.
Andrew first joined the family-owned business in 1988 and dedicated 15 years to working in every department (his father making sure he worked his way through the ranks). Through this experience, he developed an in-depth understanding of the key drivers and became highly skilled in both upstream and downstream elements of the business.
Throughout his tenure, Andrew held several critical roles such as Livestock Manager and Sales Manager before being appointed Managing Director. Andrew chose to leave the business in 2003 to gain experience elsewhere before rejoining in 2012 and being appointed CEO in 2014.
Since his return, Andrew has been instrumental in driving the development of our business transformation and has built an exceptionally strong executive and management team around him. (That many would say make him look good).
A talented tennis player, Andrew defeated Bindaree CPO Todd Newton in the hotly anticipated final of the Inverell Heights tennis competition. Rumours are circling of a re-match.
Todd Newton
Meet Todd, our Chief People Officer. Todd is most likely to be found attending a team member’s birthday celebration, an office morning tea, or any event where there is cake, slice, or coffee.
When Todd is at his desk, he is first to acknowledge his amazing team and the exceptional work each does to deliver great people, safety, IT, environment, payroll and corporate governance services to the business. Noting his team’s growing capability and performance, Todd is mindful that he must continue to try to stay relevant, and is completing a Master of Laws in Enterprise Governance at Bond University and ongoing negotiation training with his two children, a course he struggles to pass.
Having spent two decades in the livestock and processing game, Todd is thankful for the opportunities provided to him and strives to build a passionate and dedicated team across the group, one that inspires a culture aligned with our company values.
When not at work Todd is trying to determine whether he is part cowboy while not owning a horse, a traveling enthusiast who dislikes flying or an athlete who spends a lot of time at physio.
When Todd is at his desk, he is first to acknowledge his amazing team and the exceptional work each does to deliver great people, safety, IT, environment, payroll and corporate governance services to the business. Noting his team’s growing capability and performance, Todd is mindful that he must continue to try to stay relevant, and is completing a Master of Laws in Enterprise Governance at Bond University and ongoing negotiation training with his two children, a course he struggles to pass.
Having spent two decades in the livestock and processing game, Todd is thankful for the opportunities provided to him and strives to build a passionate and dedicated team across the group, one that inspires a culture aligned with our company values.
When not at work Todd is trying to determine whether he is part cowboy while not owning a horse, a traveling enthusiast who dislikes flying or an athlete who spends a lot of time at physio.
Louise Fitzpatrick
Meet Louise, our resident legal eagle General Counsel and Company Secretary. Louise has survived over 15 years of private practice and in-house shenanigans, and still managed to keep her sense of humour (largely) intact.
Louise is a legal jack-of-all-trades, with extensive experience in M&A, IP, data protection, consumer, employment, and general commercial law. She likes taking a strategic, bird’s eye perspective on issues but is not afraid to roll up her sleeves and work closely with all levels and functions of a business to achieve results.
As well as being Bindaree’s go-to for everything legal, Louise tackles responsibilities in the company secretary, corporate governance, risk and sustainability spaces. A natural-born nerd, she enjoys the challenge of learning and upskilling in this constantly changing world.
Although lawyers are renowned for only seeing shades of grey, Louise does her best to look for rainbows outside of lawyer life, including spending time with her energetic kids. She’s been known to journey across town – and choose travel destinations – on the promise of a good meal.
Louise is a legal jack-of-all-trades, with extensive experience in M&A, IP, data protection, consumer, employment, and general commercial law. She likes taking a strategic, bird’s eye perspective on issues but is not afraid to roll up her sleeves and work closely with all levels and functions of a business to achieve results.
As well as being Bindaree’s go-to for everything legal, Louise tackles responsibilities in the company secretary, corporate governance, risk and sustainability spaces. A natural-born nerd, she enjoys the challenge of learning and upskilling in this constantly changing world.
Although lawyers are renowned for only seeing shades of grey, Louise does her best to look for rainbows outside of lawyer life, including spending time with her energetic kids. She’s been known to journey across town – and choose travel destinations – on the promise of a good meal.
Andrew Simpson
Meet Andrew, our Chief Commercial Officer (CCO).
Andrew flew in from Singapore in 2018 with his wife Eriko and son Tomi to join the ranks of Inverell red meat residents.
Whilst the role of CCO holds the executive remit to be right amongst the “buy make sell” of multiple operational sites for the company, including Brisbane Warehouse, Burleigh Heads Value Add Facility, Sanger Trading in Sydney, Cooma Processing Facility, and the overseas offices of Shanghai, Tokyo and London, it also provides Andrew the perfect undercover opportunity to discover Australia’s best bakeries.
For someone who has spent a decade living in Asia and can order a beer in multiple languages, there is nothing more demanding or satisfying than keeping one hand steering an entire supply chain and the other applying sauce to a sausage roll.
Andrew flew in from Singapore in 2018 with his wife Eriko and son Tomi to join the ranks of Inverell red meat residents.
Whilst the role of CCO holds the executive remit to be right amongst the “buy make sell” of multiple operational sites for the company, including Brisbane Warehouse, Burleigh Heads Value Add Facility, Sanger Trading in Sydney, Cooma Processing Facility, and the overseas offices of Shanghai, Tokyo and London, it also provides Andrew the perfect undercover opportunity to discover Australia’s best bakeries.
For someone who has spent a decade living in Asia and can order a beer in multiple languages, there is nothing more demanding or satisfying than keeping one hand steering an entire supply chain and the other applying sauce to a sausage roll.
Nigel Blakemore
Meet Nigel, our Chief Financial Officer, company travel agent and Parra eels tragic.
Nigel has over 20 years’ experience in the meat industry holding various finance leadership executive roles at Woolworths where his passion was in the meat game, leading finance teams in supporting the entire meat Woolies supply chain from paddock, to processing, to store, to plate. Nigel was the key finance strategic leader in the meat team partnering with divisional executives in setting the long-term goals of the business.
Outside of Nigel’s passion for the meat industry, he is a superstar soccer coach getting his big break when he was appointed* to coach his kids under six soccer team. His coaching career spanned over 15 years where he coached both his son and daughter’s teams to multiple premierships in Division 1 and Youth competitions in the Blacktown and Hills districts competitions in Sydney.
Nigel joined the passionate foodies at Bindaree in 2018 to support Andrew and the team in delivering on its long-term business aspirations and has played a key role in lifting the finance team capability and developing control frameworks as the business continues its growth trajectory.
When Nigel is not travelling between business sites (and rating travel experiences to pass onto the team) he is supporting an enthusiastic group of finance, procurement, and group projects leaders to meet the compliance, strategic and finance business partnering/advisory needs of the business.
Nigel has been open about his next big career move to apply his experience as an elite soccer coach and finance executive (incl. being a graduate of Macquarie University and the Australian Institute of Company Directors) to assist the Parra eels Board and coaching staff to break the longest rugby league premiership drought.
*only one who volunteered
Nigel has over 20 years’ experience in the meat industry holding various finance leadership executive roles at Woolworths where his passion was in the meat game, leading finance teams in supporting the entire meat Woolies supply chain from paddock, to processing, to store, to plate. Nigel was the key finance strategic leader in the meat team partnering with divisional executives in setting the long-term goals of the business.
Outside of Nigel’s passion for the meat industry, he is a superstar soccer coach getting his big break when he was appointed* to coach his kids under six soccer team. His coaching career spanned over 15 years where he coached both his son and daughter’s teams to multiple premierships in Division 1 and Youth competitions in the Blacktown and Hills districts competitions in Sydney.
Nigel joined the passionate foodies at Bindaree in 2018 to support Andrew and the team in delivering on its long-term business aspirations and has played a key role in lifting the finance team capability and developing control frameworks as the business continues its growth trajectory.
When Nigel is not travelling between business sites (and rating travel experiences to pass onto the team) he is supporting an enthusiastic group of finance, procurement, and group projects leaders to meet the compliance, strategic and finance business partnering/advisory needs of the business.
Nigel has been open about his next big career move to apply his experience as an elite soccer coach and finance executive (incl. being a graduate of Macquarie University and the Australian Institute of Company Directors) to assist the Parra eels Board and coaching staff to break the longest rugby league premiership drought.
*only one who volunteered
From humble beginnings we’ve grown to deliver tailored protein solutions from the paddock to the plate across Australian and international markets. We are at the forefront of food trends with a global protein network, and believe in a connected, sustainable Australian beef supply chain.
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