Robert McGavin

Chair, Non-Executive Director

Rob is a co-founder of Cobram Estate Olives and was the Executive Chair and Chief Executive Officer of the Company until 20 April 2021. Rob has extensive experience in the agribusiness sector and is directly involved in a grazing operation in western Queensland and a cropping and grazing operation in southwest Victoria. Rob is a board member and Chair of Marcus Oldham Agricultural College and is also a member of the Marcus Oldham College Foundation.

Rob is the Non-Executive Chair of Cobram Estate Olives. 

Craig Ball

Non-Executive Director

Craig recently retired from the role of chair of financial services firm Taylor Collison. In this role he was responsible for corporate finance in equity capital markets. He became a director of Taylor Collison in 1992 and has extensive experience in Australian equity capital markets. Craig holds a Bachelor of Economics degree from the University of Adelaide. He worked for a decade with Chartered Accounting firms before joining the stockbroking industry in 1987.

Craig has been involved with Cobram Estate Olives since 1998, assisting with its formation and development, and was appointed as a Non-Executive Director in 2005. Craig is a member of the Audit and Risk Committee and chairs the Remuneration and Nomination Committee.

Toni Brendish

Non-Executive Director

Toni has more than 30 years’ experience working in blue chip FMCG, healthcare, manufacturing, agriculture, and telecommunication companies in Asia, Australia, and New Zealand, including over 20 years in Chief Executive Officer / Managing Director roles. Toni most recently held the position of Chief Executive Officer of Westland Milk Products in the South Island of New Zealand. Prior to this, Toni spent 11 years working for the Danone Group as Managing Director of their infant formula and dairy businesses in Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia, and Indonesia. She has also worked for Kimberly-Clark and Colgate Palmolive, together with a number of other blue chip FMCG organisations.

Toni is currently a non-executive director of ASX-listed natural fish oils manufacturer and nutrient ingredient business, Clover Corporation (ASX: CLV), and a shareholder representative director on the board of Prolife Foods, a private New Zealand consumer foods business (with brands including Mother Earth and Scoop and Weigh). Toni is also on the board advisory committee for Aurora Dairies, one of Australia's largest milk producers.

Toni commenced as a Non-Executive Director of Cobram Estate Olives on 23 January 2023. Toni is a member of the Audit and Risk Committee and the Remuneration and Nomination Committee, and chairs the Safety and Sustainability Committee.

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David Wills

Non-Executive Director

David has more than 35 years of financial and professional experience in tax, corporate advisory, and private and family business, specialising in regulatory management, transactions, and dispute resolutions. During his career, he held various roles of Partner and Managing Partner at Arthur Anderson, Ernst & Young, and PwC. In 2017, David was appointed as the Managing Partner of PwC’s worldwide private and family business practice, a global role he held until his retirement from the PwC partnership at the end of 2019. He holds an Executive MBA from Melbourne Business School and Bachelors of Economics and Law from the University of Sydney.

David is currently a member of the Board of the Essendon Football Club where he is the Chair of the Audit, Risk, and Integrity Committee and is a member of the People and Remuneration Committee. 

David commenced as a Non-Executive Director of Cobram Estate Olives on 3 November 2023. David is a member of the Remuneration and Nomination Committee and chairs the Audit and Risk Committee.

Joanna McMillan

Non-Executive Director

Joanna is a PhD-qualified nutrition scientist and lifestyle medicine expert. An accomplished author, speaker, food industry consultant, TV presenter, and media spokesperson with a career spanning three decades, she brings a wealth of knowledge and experience.

Originally hailing from Scotland, Jo has lived in Australia for 25 years where she has cultivated a reputation as a leading voice in the field of nutrition and is well recognised and respected by her peers and public alike for credible and evidence-based knowledge. She is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and has a special interest in sustainability, holding a Certificate in Sustainable Food: Production & Processing from the University of Cambridge.

Joanna has provided consultancy services to Cobram Estate Olives since 2015 and the Australian olive industry since 2013. She was appointed Non-Executive Director in May 2021 and is a member of the Safety and Sustainability Committee.

Sam Beaton

Joint-Chief Executive Officer (Finance and Commercial) and Executive Director

Sam joined the Company in August 2009.  Sam has over 24 years’ experience in commercial, corporate and finance roles. Sam began his career with KPMG, where he qualified as a Chartered Accountant and since then has held senior management roles. Sam has wide experience in financial modelling and analysis, capital management, business and strategy planning and the execution of business plans. Sam has a Bachelor of Commerce (Accounting and Finance) and a Bachelor of Science (Industrial Organic Chemistry) from the University of Melbourne.

Sam was appointed Joint CEO (Finance and Commercial) of Cobram Estate Olives on 20 April 2021 and formerly held the roles of Chief Financial Officer, Chief Operating Officer, and Company Secretary.

Leandro Ravetti

Joint-Chief Executive Officer (Technical and Production) and Executive Director

Leandro Ravetti graduated as an Agricultural Engineer in Argentina and worked for the National Institute of Agricultural Technology in olive production research from 1995 until he moved to Australia in 2001 to join Cobram Estate Olives. Leandro has studied and worked as an invited researcher at the Olive Growing Research Institute of Perugia, Italy and at different Governmental Olive Institutes in Andalusia, Spain where he completed a postgraduate degree on olive growing and olive oil processing.

Leandro was appointed Executive Director of Cobram Estate Olives in 2005. As part of his role, Leandro has overseen all technical aspects of olive growing and olive oil production, developing the Oliv.iQ® growing system. Leandro was an alternate director of the Australian Olive Association between 2009 and 2012 and was the drafting leader for the new Australian Standard for Olive Oil (AS 5264-2011).   Leandro has also received a meritorious lifetime award from the Australian Olive Association for his outstanding contribution to the Australian olive industry and he was also the recipient of an award in the Master Milling/Chemical Engineering Category in the inaugural “Health & Food, Extra Virgin Olive Oil Awards” announced in Spain in 2017.

Leandro was appointed Joint-CEO (Technical and Production) of Cobram Estate Olives on 20 April 2021 and formerly held the role of Technical Director.