08/11/2022
Will McEwin hitched his wagon to live exports nine years ago, when he went to work for then RuralCo-owned Frontier International. He has since been part of a management buy-out, becoming part-owner as well as Managing Director.
Will was elected to LiveCorp’s board as an exporter director at its recent Annual General Meeting in Darwin.
Being nominated by his peers, he says, is a big responsibility. However, Will is confident of being a positive influence and complementing the existing board members by bringing a commercial perspective as an exporter.
With the industry in a difficult patch, Will says it’s important for LiveCorp to keep one eye firmly on today, while also looking to the horizon.
Live export is a cyclical industry and, at the moment, numbers are significantly down due to short supply and high livestock prices. The two key regulations governing the industry are also under review, and the cost of regulation has increased while export numbers have halved.
Will says the situation makes it important for LiveCorp to focus on research, making sure data is available on the industry’s position and performance, and helping the industry through all the changes.
The cycle will turn, he says, providing opportunities for both exporters and their customers in market to recoup some of the losses from recent years.
Frontier is 100% focused on supplying cattle from northern Australia into South East Asia, with Indonesia and Vietnam the key markets.
Lumpy skin disease (LSD) and foot and mouth disease (FMD) have both been in Vietnam for some time, and there are now robust processes and vaccines in place to deal with them. Will believes there’s no reason Indonesia – which detected both diseases in early 2022 – cannot do the same.
Will’s career has been mostly in agribusiness, including 15 years on the corporate side of Futuris (later Elders). His roles provided exposure to wool, livestock and meat processing, including several years representing Elders on the boards of Harvey Beef and Kilcoy Pastoral Company.
Five years working in China and two years in Germany gave Will experience in international trade and how different cultures and business environments work. He also spent five years working in the automotive industry, gaining a good understanding of processes and operational efficiencies.
Will says live exports is now both a career and investment, and he looks forward to being able to contribute to the industry through his role on the LiveCorp board.