NG Conference Speakers

After completing a degree in Agriculture at the University of Reading, Will began his career managing one of the United Kingdom’s largest dairy herds, gaining valuable practical experience in livestock production and farm management. He later specialised in agricultural sustainability, joining Alltech E-CO₂, where he worked with farmers, retailers, and processors to measure carbon emissions and develop practical, profitable sustainability solutions across agricultural supply chains.

Tobie has worked across government and industry, including as Advisor to a Federal Senator in the Australian Parliament and as Agriculture Advisor to the New South Wales Minister for Agriculture, with policy responsibilities spanning agriculture, biosecurity and forestry. He contributed to major initiatives, including the unprecedented floods in NSW, livestock recovery efforts and emerging biosecurity threats that continue to threaten Australia today.

He completed his schooling at Oakdale Agricultural High School in Riversdale before obtaining a BCom Law degree from Stellenbosch University. He subsequently completed a postgraduate LLB degree and, in 2023, earned an MBA from Stellenbosch Business School.

In 1998, Will was awarded a Nuffield Scholarship to study cattle handling systems around the world. He subsequently returned to the family business, where he works alongside his parents and has helped grow the enterprise to nearly 2,000 grass-fed dairy and Wagyu beef cattle.

Francois began his career in 2018 after completing his studies in Agricultural Economics at Stellenbosch University, joining his family’s table grape farming business in the Hex River Valley.

From the outset, he was immersed in the operational, financial and strategic aspects of a highly competitive and export-driven industry. Working in one of South Africa’s leading grape-producing regions, Francois has gained hands-on experience across all areas of the business, including production planning, cost management, logistics, and market alignment. This exposure has allowed him to bridge the gap between agricultural theory and practical implementation, while developing a strong understanding of the sector.

After graduating from Oklahoma State University with a degree in Animal Science, Jamie spent six years working for a national equine organisation before returning to Grady County to join the Fairgrounds team. In her role, she oversees event booking, facility marketing, social media strategy, sponsorship and community engagement efforts, while also helping manage the annual Grady County Free Fair and a wide variety of livestock, rodeo, agricultural and community events throughout the year.

With 25 years across food, farming and land use systems, Emily brings practical insight from farm to policy level.

Originally qualified as lawyer before undertaking an MSc in Sustainable Agriculture, her career has taken her from family business to global PLC, with time spent in Brussels and across the UK.

For more than a decade, he has worked with farmers across Australia to provide practical solutions and strategies to soil and land management challenges. His expertise spans soil science, precision agriculture and natural capital, with a focus on utilising agtech solutions for decision support and turning technical information into decisions that improve farm and landscape performance.

Shannon hails from Kuilsriver, Cape Town. Her passion for agriculture was ignited by her grandparents who were subsistence farmers from Jamestown, Stellenbosch. After school, Shannon obtained a BSc degree in Conservation Ecology and Entomology at Stellenbosch University.

Before her position as Assistant Livestock Manager, she did an internship at Boschendal where she was exposed to different farming practices, providing her the opportunity to gain experience in working with plants, soil, insects and livestock. It was at the livestock sector where her true passion for agriculture was highlighted and recognised – so much that the position of Assistant Livestock Manager was offered to her.