John Keniry
Advisor
John Keniry has a degree in physical chemistry from University of NSW and a PhD in chemical engineering from Cambridge, UK. His early career was with CSR Limited where he was involved in the raw sugar, refined sugar and ethanol businesses, in a wide range of roles spanning research, marketing, business development and operational management.
After leaving CSR in 1984, he spent ten years with Goodman Fielder in executive management roles, including seven years as an executive director responsible for corporate and technical development, and the company’s international food ingredients and poultry businesses.
Since 1994, John has been a professional non-executive director, and has served as chair or director of a number of agribusiness-oriented companies and State and Federal statutory bodies, as well as chairing two major Commonwealth Inquiries, into regional business development in 2002, and into the Live Animal Export trade in 2003. He is presently chairman of three ASX listed companies: Ridley Corporation Limited, Biosignal Limited, and First Opportunity Fund Limited; and of the Co-operative Research Centres for Sheep and Pork; and is a board member of Australian Wool Innovation Limited, the NSW Environment Protection Authority, Innovation Australia and the Australian Farm Institute, Australia’s leading agricultural think tank.
John has a property in Central-West NSW, which is involved in sheep, cattle and crop production, with a particular emphasis on superfine wool. He was President of the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry in 1999-2000, and a member of The Prime Ministers Science, Engineering and Innovation Council from 1997 to 2002. He was awarded the Centenary Medal in 2003, and AM in 2005. John joined the CB Group Board in 2008.