MSF welcomes new CEO
Mallee Sustainable Farming (MSF) has announced a leadership transition following the development of its new 2025–2035 strategy and refreshed organisational branding.
After guiding this significant phase of growth, Jenny Garonne has stepped down from her role as Managing Director and will continue contributing to the organisation as a Director on the MSF Board.
Stepping into the organisation’s most senior operational role is Tim Smythe, MSF’s newly appointed Chief Executive Officer. Tim has spent the past two years in program and project management roles at MSF and brings extensive experience from industry and regional development, with previous roles within the wine industry and state and local government.
Tim recognises the vital role farming plays in regional communities and the need to actively manage land to produce food and fibre. He notes that the advancements made over the past 25 years in the Mallee – from water use efficiency to increased groundcover and productivity – have been driven by strong partnerships between farmers, researchers and industry.
“Working together allows us to build a collective capability – to understand our strengths and how others can contribute,” Tim said.
MSF has also welcomed two new farmer directors to its Board – James O’Day (Millewa) and Richard McKee (Cowangie) – while acknowledging and thanking Gavin Howley for his service as a director for the past 6 years.
With its strengthened leadership and board, MSF continues to build capacity to deliver meaningful outcomes for farming communities across the SA, VIC and NSW Mallee.