AUCTIONSPLUS has confirmed the appointment of Wynand (Wyn) Snyman as the digital livestock marketing company’s new chief executive officer, effective from Monday next week.

Mr Snyman currently serves as AuctionsPlus’s chief operating officer, a role he has filled since August 2020. Prior to that he was chief financial officer since 2019.

Wynand Snyman

Former chief executive Angus Street left the digital livestock marketing company last month to take up a new role as chief executive at NZ Merino Co.

Beef Central foreshadowed the appointment in this People on the Move column back in July.

A South African by birth, Mr Snyman is an accountant and financier by trade. He previously worked for European travel insurance company Europ Assistance where he acted as chief financial officer. Earlier he worked as an auditor with PwC.

In an announcement to staff this morning, AuctionsPlus chairman Kelly Freeman said Mr Snyman had been instrumental in leading operational quality and transactional integrity, as the business scaled significantly over the past several years.

“As such, he is well positioned to further grow AuctionsPlus as Australia’s largest digital agriculture marketplace,” Mr Freeman said.

“As a board, we look forward to working with Wyn as he drives AuctionsPlus’s strategy of delivering a marketplace that enables Australia’s ag sector to market and transact with trust,” he said.

“Wyn is known within AuctionsPlus for his collaborative leadership style and his ability to translate strategy into practical solutions.”

Mr Snyman said he was looking forward to leading a business which was tied so strongly to an outstanding customer experience.

“I am excited to continue to work with our team, connecting producers with buyers from across Australia, and redefining the ways in which livestock can be traded.”

The internal statement said Mr Snyman was selected from a field of strong candidates, following an extensive recruitment campaign.

Mr Snyman succeeds and Angus Street who left the company in July after five years in the CEO role; Anna Speer who served as CEO for four years to 2018; and Gary Dick, who spent 27 years with AuctionsPlus and its predecessor CALM, including 11 years from 2003 as general manager.

The 2019-20 drought and its after-affects drove AuctionsPlus to record turnover last year, as livestock shifted unusually long distances during the herd rebuilding phase.

Commercial cattle turnover in 2021-22 was up 10pc to almost 899,000 head, while sheep listings rose 6pc to 4.677 million head.