Board | Rural Funds Management

The RFM Board boasts collective expertise in funds management, financial planning and agribusiness. The Board comprises four members, three of whom are independent.

The RFM Board

Guy Paynter

Non-Executive Chairman

Guy Paynter is a former director of broking firm JB Were. Guy brings to RFM more than 30 years of experience in corporate finance. Guy is a former member of the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) and a former associate of the Securities Institute of Australia (now known as the Financial Services Institute of Australasia). Today, Guy is chair of Bill Peach Group Limited (previously known as Aircruising Australia Limited).

Guy’s agricultural interests include cattle breeding in the Upper Hunter region in New South Wales.

Guy holds a Bachelor of Laws from The University of Melbourne.

Guy is a member of the RFM Audit Committee and the RFM Remuneration Committee.

Michael Carroll

Non-Executive Director

Michael Carroll serves in a board and advisory capacity for a range of agribusiness entities. Michael is a Director of Tassall Group Ltd, Select Harvests Limited, Paraway Pastoral Company and Sunny Queen Ltd. Former board positions include the Australian Farm Institute, Warrnambool Cheese and Butter Factory Company Holdings Limited, Queensland Sugar Limited, Rural Finance Corporation of Victoria, the Gardiner Dairy Foundation and Meat and Livestock Australia. Michael’s advisory clients include government, major banks, institutional investors, and successful family owned agribusinesses.

Michael has senior executive experience in a range of companies, including establishing and leading the National Australia Bank (NAB) Agribusiness division. Michael worked for several years as a Senior Adviser in the NAB internal investment banking and corporate advisory team. Before joining the NAB, Michael worked for a range of agribusiness companies including Monsanto Agricultural Products and a biotechnology venture capital company.

Michael holds a Bachelor of Agricultural Science from La Trobe University and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from The University of Melbourne’s Melbourne Business School. Michael studied the Advanced Management Program at Harvard Business School, Boston, and is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Michael is chair of the RFM Audit Committee and the RFM Remuneration Committee.

David Bryant

Managing Director

David Bryant established RFM in February 1997 and since that time has led the team that is responsible for the acquisition of large scale agricultural property assets and associated water entitlements. As of 31 December 2016, RFM manages over $600 million of agricultural assets.

On a day-to-day level, David is responsible for leading the RFM Executive, maintaining key commercial relationships and sourcing new business opportunities.

David holds a Diploma of Financial Planning from the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) University and a Master of Agribusiness from The University of Melbourne.

Julian Widdup

Non-Executive Director

Julian Widdup is a former executive of infrastructure investment management companies, Palisade Investment Partners and Access Capital Advisers (now Whitehelm Capital) where he was responsible for the acquisition and asset management of major infrastructure assets, risk management, portfolio construction, institutional client management and overseeing all aspects of investment operations.

Previously Julian had worked with Towers Perrin (now Willis Towers Watson) as an asset consultant, the Australian Bureau of Statistics and the Insurance and Superannuation Commission (now APRA).

Julian brings extensive experience to the RFM board having previously served as a director of Palisade Investment Partners, Darwin International Airport, Alice Springs Airport, NZ timberland company Taumata Plantations Limited, Regional Livestock Exchange Investment Company, Merredin Energy power generation company, Victorian AgriBioscience Research Facility, Casey Hospital in Melbourne and Mater Hospital in Newcastle.

Julian holds a Bachelor of Economics from the Australian National University, is a Fellow of the Institute of Actuaries of Australia and a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Julian is a member of the RFM Audit Committee and the RFM Remuneration Committee.

Guy Paynter

Non-Executive Chairman

Guy’s agricultural interests include cattle breeding in the Upper Hunter region in New South Wales.

Guy holds a Bachelor of Laws from The University of Melbourne.

Guy is a member of the RFM Audit Committee and the RFM Remuneration Committee.

David Bryant

Managing Director

On a day-to-day level, David is responsible for leading the RFM Executive, maintaining key commercial relationships and sourcing new business opportunities.

David holds a Diploma of Financial Planning from the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) University and a Master of Agribusiness from The University of Melbourne.

Michael Carroll

Non-Executive Director

Michael is chair of the RFM Audit Committee and the RFM Remuneration Committee.

Julian Widdup

Non-Executive Director

Previously Julian had worked with Towers Perrin (now Willis Towers Watson) as an asset consultant, the Australian Bureau of Statistics and the Insurance and Superannuation Commission (now APRA).

Julian holds a Bachelor of Economics from the Australian National University, is a Fellow of the Institute of Actuaries of Australia and a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Julian is a member of the RFM Audit Committee and the RFM Remuneration Committee.