New ALEC chief executive officer Mark Harvey-Sutton.

EXPERIENCED agribusiness advocate Mark Harvey-Sutton is the new chief executive officer of the Australian Livestock Exporters’ Council.

Mr Harvey-Sutton’s appointment was announced earlier this month, following the departure of incumbent CEO Brett Pointing due to a change in personal circumstances that required him to return to Queensland.

Mr Harvey-Sutton was recruited as ALEC’s manager of policy and regulatory affairs late last year.

ALEC independent chairman Simon Crean said Mr Pointing, who placed Simon Westaway as CEO in October last year, will finish with ALEC later this month.

Mr Crean said Mr Harvey-Sutton was shortlisted to fill the ALEC CEO vacancy in 2016 and since that time had been general manager of rural affairs at the National Farmers’ Federation. He has previously served as acting CEO for the Sheepmeat Council of Australia (now Sheep Producers Australia) and also previously worked for the Cattle Council of Australia as policy director.

“Mark is a highly regarded advocate for Australian agriculture, with extensive experience in livestock

and red meat policy development and industry reform,” Mr Crean said.

Mr Harvey-Sutton has a Bachelor of Laws from James Cook University and was admitted as a lawyer in the ACT Supreme Court in 2010.

Beyond his experience with the NFF, Sheepmeat Council and Cattle Council, Mr Harvey-Sutton has also worked in rural, regional and agricultural roles with the Commonwealth Government, including for the Department of Agriculture.

Mr Crean said Mr Pointing joined ALEC during a challenging time for the industry, yet was able to make positive changes that will advance the industry.

“One of those positive changes was the appointment of Mark Harvey-Sutton as his deputy at ALEC.”

Source: ALEC.