The ProFarmer Team

As part of ProFarmer's commitment to providing timely and reliable information to subscribers, we have a national network of on-the ground analysts who provide up to the minute, accurate information from local markets.


Richard Koch, Managing Director

Richard was raised at Collarenebri in the far north-west of NSW.

Richard is one of Australia's leading agricultural market analysts with 15 years experience across various commodity markets and in a range of sectors servicing these markets. Richard was Senior Economist at the Australian Meat and Livestock Corporation (AMLC) before joining BankWest to lead its push into the Eastern States agribusiness finance market. During his time at BankWest, Richard also worked in corporate finance where he led a M&A team in valuing and purchasing finance assets. Richard left the finance industry in 2004 to move back to his roots and follow his passion for Australian agriculture. Since taking over ProFarmer in 2004 and despite several years of drought, grower subscriptions have more than doubled and income from corporate subscribers has increased 10-fold.

Richard has an honours degree in Agricultural Economics from the University of New England (UNE) a Diploma in Applied Finance from the Securities Institute of Australia (SIA) and a Masters in Business Administration from the University of WA (UWA).

Richard can be contacted at richard@profarmer.com.au
 

Ana Komarova, Strategic Development Manager

Ana was a business analyst in the world’s leading glass manufacturer and the world’s largest gas company before becoming involved in her family’s Russian turf and irrigation business. Ana has spent the last two years in New York setting-up seed distribution arrangements from the US to her family’s company in Russia.

At ProFarmer Ana brings valuable verification and insights into Eastern European market events and trends. Her role as Strategic Development Manager and Eastern European Market Specialist is based in the Perth office, Western Australia. 

Ana can be contacted at ana@profarmer.com.au
 Caroline Fowler, Analyst/Editor

Caroline grew up on a mixed cropping and wool enterprise at Williams in the Great Southern Region of WA. Caroline graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture (Hons) from the University of Western Australia in 2005. Midway through her degree she travelled to Canada on a one year Agricultural exchange program in which she gained great insight into the industry overseas. After graduating, she worked in several capacities in the family farm business; one of which included managing their seed cleaning business. Before starting work at ProFarmer, Caroline embarked on a one year world tour to South America and the UK.

Caroline can be contacted at caroline@profarmer.com.au   


Nolene Wake, Customer Relationship Administrator

Nolene can be contacted at nolene@profarmer.com.au  


ANALYST TEAM: 

Paul Hooper - Wool

Paul comes from a mixed farming background in the Avon Valley WA, where he still plays an active role on the family farm. Paul completed a Bachelor of Media and Communications, majoring in print journalism, at Curtin University before taking a full time position at the Farm Weekly in 2003. In 2006 Paul was an Australian wool grower delegate, travelling to China in order to broaden his knowledge on export wool markets into this region. Paul was very humbled to receive the Australian Young Leader in Agricultural Journalism Award in 2007, and represented the nation in Japan for the International Federation of Agricultural Journalists Congress.

Paul’s passion and faith in the wool industry led him to join West Coast Wools – a young, progressive and growing wool company that encompasses both brokering and exporting of wool. His role is defined as wool buyer for the Avon Valley region.

  
Rob Imray - Ag Commodities Analysis 

Rob has a Bachelor of Business, Masters Degree in International Business and a Graduate Diploma in Accounting. He also has a Diploma of Export from the Australian Institute of Export and is a licensed derivatives advisor and broker.

Rob manages an extensive client base throughout Australia and is also responsible for assisting them with all facets of agricultural marketing. Prior to this, Rob had worked as a Treasury Analyst for Queensland Sugar Corporation and as an Accountant and Business Adviser with a Toowoomba based accounting firm. Rob is very highly skilled in commodity analysis both in the derivatives and cash markets. Rob lives with his wife and kids in Toowoomba, QLD.
  

Richard Smith - Asian Markets

ProFarmer has welcomed aboard its first ever foreign correspondent Richard Smith, based in Japan. Richard will be covering developments in Asian agricultural markets and providing some excellent and unique insights into the region's issues. 

Richard is Tokyo based trilingual agribusiness reporter specialising in Northeast Asia food trade and agricultural issues. His reports were featured in various international media including American Chamber of Commerce in Japan Monthly Magazine, Radio-France International, Rural Press (Australia), The New Zealand Farmers Weekly, Farmers Guardian and many more.

  

Lachie Stevens - Weekly Strategy

Lachie comes from a mixed farming background in southern NSW. He holds a Bachelor of Agricultural Science at Melbourne University, Commodity Price Risk Management from Monash University and an Advanced Diploma of Applied Finance and Investment at the Securities Institute of Australia (now FINSIA).

From 2001-2007 he worked at Louis Dreyfus Australia where his roles included; Oilseed manager & Trader, Risk Manager, Wool Trader, Sorghum Trader and Grain & Oilseeds Analyst. He is a current AFSL holder for wholesale clients in financial product advice and is trained in Contracts and Dispute resolution to a level GAFTA Grade 2.  






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