At the heart of the Bioeconomy Science Institute is a dedicated group of leaders who bring strategic insight, scientific expertise, and a shared commitment to advancing our vision. Our leadership team and Board work together to guide the organisation’s scientific priorities and ensure operational excellence whilst creating lasting impact for Aotearoa New Zealand.

Our leadership team

Quentin Smith

Chief Financial & Operations Officer

Quentin joined Plant & Food Research in 2018, with responsibility for the finance and legal functions and the management of property and information technology. Prior to this he spent 16 years working at McDonalds Restaurants (New Zealand) Limited in various roles across finance, operations and property.

Keri-Anne Tane

Chief People Officer

Keri-Anne is a values-based, human resource leader who has been part of significant, transformative culture and organisational change over 28 years in organisations including Mercy Hospital, Fletcher Steel, Unilever, OfficeMax, Scion, Te Pūkenga and more recently Plant & Food Research. Keri-Anne has whakapapa to Te Arawa (Ngati Rangiteaorere, Ngati Uenukukōpako) and Te Rarawa.

James Stevenson-Wallace

Director Transformation

James joined Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research as Chief Executive Officer in 2022 after serving as Chief Executive of the Electricity Authority for 4 years. Prior to this, he held senior leadership roles in regulatory and advisory roles related to forestry, fisheries, petroleum and minerals resources.

Stuart Hall

Acting Group CEO - AgResearch

Stuart joined AgResearch as Partnerships & Programmes Director in August 2017, before becoming Deputy Chief Executive in 2021. He became Acting Group CEO in November 2025. Prior to commencing at AgResearch, he spent time with ANZCO Foods and DB Breweries in a number of roles. His key areas of experience include sales and marketing execution, leadership and strategy development.

Richard Eglinton

Acting Group CEO – Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research

Richard joined Manaaki Whenua in 2023 and has held the roles of Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer. Before joining Manaaki Whenua, Richard was Chief Operating Officer at the Electricity Authority. Prior to this, he has held a variety of roles in the public and private sector in New Zealand and the UK.

Jolon Dyer

Group CEO - Plant & Food Research

Jolon joined Plant & Food Research in 2021. Prior to this, he was at AgResearch for 17 years, including 10 years in Science Group Leader roles and Associate Research Director roles.

Julian Elder

Group CEO – Scion

Julian joined Scion in 2017, having previously led large-scale civil infrastructure projects in waste treatment, renewables, telecommunications, energy and water.

Our Board

Barry Harris

Chair

Barry was previously Chair of NIWA. He is a company director with extensive governance and executive experience. He has held a number of chief executive roles including Environment Waikato, Greater Wellington Regional Council and Hamilton City Council. He was also a senior executive with Fonterra for 5 years. Barry currently chairs McFall Fuel, Hamilton Airport Company and Wel Networks. Previous boards include DairyNZ, Primary ITO, CentrePort, RD1, AgResearch, International Nutritionals, Hamilton Riverside Hotels, OSPRI, Food Innovation Waikato and Local Authority Shared Services. Barry has a Masters of Agricultural Science (Honours).

Barry has very strong governance experience across both local and regional government, giving him a significant understanding of public accountability. He has developed leadership and stakeholder management skills from his wide variety of governance and executive roles, which also have imparted strategic understanding.

Kim Wallace

Deputy Chair

Kim was previously Chair of AgResearch. She is currently the Chair of Te Manawataki o Te Papa and is also serving as a member on the boards of the Port Nelson and Origin Capital Partners. Previous governance appointments include Quotable Value. Before pursuing a full-time career in governance in 2017, Ms Wallace had a 24-year career in the global dairy industry, which included working in senior executive roles based in New Zealand, USA, Germany and Australia. She is a Chartered Member of the Institute of Directors and a member of Global Women.

She brings significant audit and risk experience, and experience in capital programmes and asset management.

Gray Baldwin

Director

Gray was previously on the Board of Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research. He is currently a director of the Alliance Group, Trinity Lands, and Farmlands. He previously held senior management and executive roles for BNZ Agri, Carter Holt Harvey and Summit Quinphos. His past co-op governance roles include nine years with Ballance and ten years with Livestock Improvement (LIC).

Gray has a deep governance and commercial focus, experience in agribusiness and proven ability to deliver on outcomes. He has deep experience leading scientists to commercialise research for economic benefit. Gray also brings significant connections and credibility within the primary sector.

Candace Kinser

Director

Candace was previously a director of Plant & Food Research. She is a seasoned director and business leader with a strong track record in governance, commercialisation, and leadership across science, technology, health and primary industries sectors.

She currently serves on the University of Auckland Council of Governors and is the President/Chair of the Cancer Society Auckland/Northland.

She previously served on the boards of Livestock Improvement Corporation, Eastland Group, and WEL Networks and Chaired Helius Therapeutics. A former CEO of NZTech, where she launched TechWeek, and earlier led the global growth of successful genetics software firm Biomatters. She has also held senior roles with Palantir in New Zealand and led digital transformation at investment firm Jarden.

Candace brings deep expertise in technology strategy and scientific innovation with a governance style that is strategic, commercially astute, and impact focused.

Andrew Morrison

Director

Andrew was previously on the board of AgResearch. He is the Chair of Wool Research Organisation of NZ (WRONZ), Ovis Management LTD, and of the Environment Southlands Investment Subcommittee. He was the former Chair of both Beef and Lamb NZ, and the New Zealand Meat Board. He is a former Director of Ballance Agri Nutrients and has sat on the boards of two science consortiums, and Pastoral Greenhouse Gas Research Consortium (PGGRC).

Andrew has extensive primary sector industry governance experience, business and commercial acumen, governance capability and experience in ensuring value for money on investments. He brings of primary and biological sector credibility to the Board.