Corporate Structure
CICL Rules
The Registry of Co-operatives has accepted and registered the new CICL Rules as approved at the 2024 Special General Meeting.
Registration was effected on 20 March 2024.
Please contact the Company Secretary if you have any queries.
CICL board
Coleambally Irrigation Co-operative Limited has four member directors and two independent directors. Member directors are elected for three year terms.
Independent directors are nominated by the board of directors and their appointment confirmed at the co-operative’s Annual General Meeting. Independent director terms are also for a maximum of three years.
Member and independent directors can be re-elected and serve for more than one term.
The directors elect the Chairman and Deputy Chairman and appoint the CEO and Company Secretary.
Directors
Peter Sheppard
Chairman
GAICD
Peter operates a family irrigated farming business and is the son of one of Coleambally’s pioneering families. He has been a director of CICL since 2012 and Chairman since 2015. Peter was previously a director of CIMCL (2000-2012) and its Chairman from 2003. Peter has also been involved in leadership roles in the rice industry.
Craig Perkins
Deputy Chairman
B. Appl.Sci. (Agriculture)
GAICD
Craig is a partner in a family irrigated farming business. He has been a director of CICL since 2014 and Deputy Chairman since 2015. Craig was previously a member of the Ricegrowers’ Association Central Executive and has completed the RGA emerging leaders program run by the Australian Rural Leadership Foundation.
Denise Kelly
AICD – Introduction to Directors Course
National Women’s Coalition, Leadership Program
Denise is a Director of her family farming business in Coleambally, she is also proud to be a daughter of one of Coleambally’s pioneering families.
Denise is actively involved in the Rice Growers’ Association of Australia, holding Leadership positions.
Denise joined CICL as a director in October 2022.
Anthony Mannes
Dip. Bus. (Advanced)
GAICD
Anthony is a partner in a family irrigated farming business. He was previously a Regional Manager for Auction Valuation firm, DMS Davlan/GraysAg, and continues to work with the firm as a consultant. Anthony also provides consultancy services to an Independent Riverina livestock agent and is a Director of Mannes Agencies, a Coleambally based Real Estate Agent. Anthony has been a director since 2015.
Sharon Smith
Independent Director
CA
GAICD
FINSIA (Applied Finance)
Sharon joined the Board in October 2018. Sharon is currently Deputy Chair of the National Apprentice Employment Network, director and Vice President of the Hunter Business Chamber and CEO of Hunter Valley Training Corporation. Sharon has over 20 years experience with both the government and private sector, primarily in the Hunter Valley and with the Hunter Water Corporation
Sue Murray
Independent Director
FCPA
GAICD
CAAM
BFinAdmin
Sue is currently a senior executive with the global Defence and Aerospace company BAE Systems, and non-executive director of HVTC and Central Coast Community College. She has over 30 years senior leadership experience across various sectors including agribusiness, coupled with qualifications in finance, project management, continuous improvement, asset management, risk management and corporate governance. Sue is accustomed to managing high profile politically sensitive projects in highly regulated environments.
Sue comes from a family farming background with previous interests in the New England region in sheep, cattle and irrigation farming enterprises.
Management Team
CICL’s management group is responsible for leading the implementation of the co-operative’s strategic plan and management of the day-to-day operations.
Julian Speed
CEO
B. Applied Science (Agriculture)
MBA
GAICD
Julian joined CICL as CEO in October 2023. Julian has extensive leadership and governance experience in forestry and agriculture, including the grain, water technology and irrigation sectors. Julian’s most recent roles were with the South Australian Forestry Corporation where he held senior management positions, including the last five years as CEO.
Bronwyn Vearing
Company Secretary
B. Bus. (Business Management/Marketing)
G. Dip. Applied Corporate Governance
GGIA
Bronwyn joined CICL in 2008 and was appointed Company Secretary in 2014. Bronwyn is also Company Secretary and a director of National Irrigation Corporation Water Entitlement Register Pty. Ltd.
Paul Clarke
General Manager Finance & Environmental Compliance
B.Comm.
Grad. Dip. Applied Finance (Investment Management)
FCA
Paul joined CICL in 2013 as Chief Financial Officer. In 2014 his responsibilities were expanded to include Environmental Compliance. Paul is a Fellow of Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand. He has held senior financial roles in listed and unlisted medium sized businesses in Australia and South Africa.
Steve Oosthuysen
General Manager Operations
B. Eng. (Civil)
Member Australian Water Association and Water Industry Operators Association
Steve joined CICL at the end of 2017. Steve has over 30 years experience as a civil engineer in the water industry including management of dams and water supply in South Africa. Before joining CICL he worked at Griffith City Council as the Senior Operations Engineer.
Kevin Kelly
Asset and Maintenance Manager
Dip. App. Sci. (Agriculture)
B. Management (Farming)
Kevin joined CICL in 1996, initially as operations manager, and commenced his current role in 2006. Kevin has extensive knowledge of CICL’s channel and drainage network and its maintenance and asset management requirements.
Daniel Whittred
Information Systems Manager
B. Eng. (Mechatronics)
G. Dip. Eng.
Daniel joined CICL in 2006 as an Assistant Engineer, Daniel was a subprogram manager for investments funded by WaterSmart Australia and the Commonwealth Private Irrigation Infrastructure Operators Program. Daniel also developed CICL’s channel capacity and hydraulic models. Daniel became Water Operations Manager in 2014 and transferred to the position of Manager Information Systems in June 2017.
Jenny McLeod
Policy & Communication Manager
B. Agri. Sci. (Hons),
M. Arts (Organisational Communication)
GAICD
Jenny joined CICL in November 2015. She has extensive experience in water policy and management with a focus on the Murray Darling Basin. Jenny has family irrigated farming interests in the NSW Murray and is Deputy Chair of National Irrigators’ Council and a director of Finley Regional Care.
Annual Reports
CIMCL
Coleambally Irrigation Mutual Co-operative Ltd (CIMCL) was formed in 1999 and was originally responsible for business planning to ensure there was sufficient funding available to support the future asset refurbishment and/or replacement of the CICL’s irrigation and drainage infrastructure. CIMCL collected an annual levy for its future needs, and this levy was collected per delivery entitlement (DE). The replacement and refurbishment of CICL’s irrigation infrastructure and the provision of professional investment services were the primary activities of CIMCL.
CIMCL not being named in the Water Management Act 2000 led to a rethink of the corporate structure as by carrying out its objectives as intended, CIMCL was at risk of future non-compliance with the Water Management Act. Accordingly, CIMCL supported the recent changes to the operating structure of CICL which included the conversion of CICL to a non-distributing co-operative and the establishment of CICL’s own sinking fund as it believed it was in the best interests of its members.
In March 2021 CIMCL members approved resolutions which allowed CIMCL to transfer its Sinking Fund to CICL. Members also supported the CIMCL Board initiating the voluntary winding up of CIMCL following the transfer of the Sinking Fund assets which the CIMCL Board approved. With no remaining assets and with the appointment of a liquidator on 18 May 2021 CIMCL ceased operations and was deregistered on 17 November 2021.
The former CIMCL board members who worked with CICL to oversee the transformation of the two co-operatives were:
Adrian Hayes, member director and chairman.
Iain Stewart, member director. Iain continued his involvement in CICL as a member of the sinking fund board committee established by CICL until October 2022.
Steven Burgess, member director.
Matt Toscan, member director.
Bruce Brown, independent director. Bruce continues his involvement as an independent director of CICL and a member of the sinking fund board committee.