Nutrien Ag Solutions managing director, Rob Clayton, will leave Australia for Colorado in the US by year's end, promoted to a newly created role as global head of retail operations.
His current job at the helm of the big Australian farm services business is being taken by Nutrien's current Canadian division boss, former accountant, Kelly Freeman.
Mr Freeman, whose siblings and parents still run the Canadian prairie grain farm where he grew up, moves from Calgary to Melbourne in October to start his new role on November 1.
He has visited Australia several times in a previous role as a senior advisor to the North American agribusiness' former president, Chuck Magro.
An initial handover and familiarisation period for Mr Freeman will include visits to some eastern states branches early in the month and the chance to meet more than 400 staff from Nutrien sites and CRT farm merchandise outlets at a company conference on the Gold Coast in mid-November.
Key representatives from agribusinesses supplying farm supplies products to Nutrien also attend the big annual event.
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After almost five years leading the Australian Landmark business, including the 2019 takeover of Ruralco, and then the renamed Nutrien Ag Solutions operation with its 4000 staff, Mr Clayton's new role switches to responsibility for the international company's entire crop protection and fertiliser product's business, particularly its big Loveland house brand product range.
The job includes supplier and product procurement relationships with global businesses such as crop chemical makers Bayer, FMC and Nufarm, and direct contact with big scale corporate customers whose farming operations and buying orders spread across several countries.
While he awaits a US work visa he will initially be doing the job from Melbourne, anticipating a move to Nutrien's retail products headquarters in Loveland, Colorado by early 2023.
From the ground up
Mr Clayton's farm services sector career began as a supplies store hand in the IAMA branch at Moree in northern NSW in 2001, just as the retail group was about to be bought by Landmark.
He returned to his home town of Coonamble the same year to run the local Landmark branch, becoming the Central West division manager by 2008, regional manager in 2012 and managing director in early 2018 as Tommy Warner returned to Nutrien's US operations.
"Obviously the new role is a great opportunity for me, but I genuinely think it's a good deal for the Australian business, too," Mr Clayton said.
"I'll be able to bring a truly international perspective to the table in North America and advocate from an Australian perspective with a different depth of understanding of customer needs and the product supply chain.
"Given Nutrien's competitive advantage in being able to secure product around the world, I really want to be able to see the supply chain reflecting those benefits in Australia."
Mr Clayton conceded the company's supply chain management had not always reflected the needs of Australian customers leaving local branches crying out for certain crop inputs, while shelves were overstocked in the US Midwest.
International learnings
At the same time he expected there were plenty of international perspectives he would gain to assist the crop inputs business in Australia.
He expected to be working in Australia two to three times a year, or more and was "thrilled to be able to stay connected with the Australian business".
His departure would not mean changes to the way the local business was run.
"Our five year plan has already been set by the management team here and will continue to focus on how we can help our customers be more sustainable and productive," Mr Clayton said.
High regard
Nutrien, headquartered in Saskatoon in Canada, held its diverse Australian agribusiness in high regard and he was pleased local management had been given the opportunity to influence its global strategy for supporting customers worldwide.
Incoming boss Mr Freeman joined Nutrien in 2008, and has held various roles in the company including vice president of corporate strategy.
"He'll bring valuable global expertise with him to Australia and I know he is looking forward to meeting our people and our customers and continuing our focus on safety, digital, sustainability, proprietary and diversity and inclusion," Mr Clayton said.
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