Consultant, Agricultural economics
Consultant, Protected cropping

Current role

Rob is an associate Consultant with RDS, providing advice and analysis in agricultural economics, industry development and protected cropping.

For the past 10 years Rob has been a partner and general manager of Henderson Hydroponics, the industry leader in production of premium grade capsicums under controlled environmental conditions.

Experience

Prior to establishing Henderson Hydroponics, Rob spent 10 years employed by the then Tasmania Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries. Eight years of this time was spent as the Regional Economist based at Devonport, specialising in the vegetable industry. In this role, Rob was responsible for assisting Vegetable and Allied Crops Branch staff in preparing and evaluating projects.

Rob conducted a HRDC funded review of two of HRDC funded and completed projects conducted by DPIF. This included calculation of Benefit / Cost Analysis and Internal Rate of Return.

In 1991 - 92 Rob was the Agricultural Economist team member on Edgell (now Simplot) – HRDC funded international benchmarking project of the processing vegetable industry.

Before working Tasmania Rob spent five years employed by the Papua New Guinea Department of Primary Industry as part of a World Bank project to train and develop indigenous managers in the plantation sectors of the PNG economy.

Key Skills

Rob’s key skills lie in the areas of:

• Protected cropping - tomatoes, capsicums, cucumbers
• Integrated crop management
• Business management
• Business management training
• Economic analysis and reporting