Bruce Highfield

Bruce is a highly experienced HR/IR leader with a passion for Australian agriculture. He has 38 years of experience, including 20 years as a member of Executive Leadership teams of listed entities and nine years as a member of Board Remuneration Committees.

Bruce’s most recent role was with Olam International, the world’s largest farmer and global food giant. He spent the past decade with the company, managing a portfolio of farm production over 20,000 hectares, physical and futures commodity trading, primary processing, and supply chain management across a range of commodities, including cotton, almonds, pulses, grains, wool, cocoa, dairy, and bulk shipping. He also played a key role in succession planning for the global nuts portfolio and was a member of the global HR team.

Prior to Olam, Bruce was Head of People at Virgin Blue Airlines, and was one of the four founding members of the fastest-growing airline in history. He managed recruitment and organisational structure from the original 4 to 5000 people over 8 years. Post the $2.1 billion dollar listing in 2004, he managed the HR/IR function, including executive recruitment, remuneration, and succession planning.

Earlier in his career, Bruce spent 12 years with ICI/Orica companies in Australia and New Zealand, manufacturing and distributing chemicals to the agricultural sector. He worked with subsidiaries such as Crop Care, Incitec, Chemical Cleaning NZ, and adhesives and resins for the timber industry.

Bruce is a highly respected leader in the HR/IR field and has a proven track record of success in helping organisations achieve their goals. He is also a passionate advocate for Australian agriculture and is committed to supporting the industry in its continued growth and success.