The Founder
The Back Story
Nerida Connors, Managing Director
As an experienced Executive Manager from a large processing facility in the agribusiness space, Nerida brings to an organisation a diverse and proven skillset which has been developed from hands-on experience across a broad range of business activities and functions. This is complimented by her academic and continued personal development including, CPA Qualifications, Master of Professional Accounting and Advanced Leadership professional development activities.
Nerida’s career commenced in 1996, on completion of her tertiary studies, when she joined her Father, Ian Kennedy A.O., in the family business of Beef Processing. Starting in the role of Domestic Sales Officer, Nerida progressively moved to take on key IT projects, advancing the technology for sales ordering, production and administration of the business. Following this, Nerida transitioned seamlessly into the Finance team, initially taking on the role of Project Accountant. In this capacity she designed and developed the business’s KPI reporting, as well as developing the business’s first comprehensive budget. Nerida fast-tracked her way through a number of key roles to take on managing the Finance team.
Since 2001, she has been a part of the senior management team which took the business through its hardest years industrially and economically. The business was sold in 2007, however Nerida stayed on as Finance Manager under a new ownership structure.
Nerida’s strive for systems and process innovation, critical data analysis and financial modelling to position the company as an industry leader has been a driving force. Coupled with her people management and leadership approach, Nerida continued to add value across the business before returning to formal studies in 2009 to complement her growing technical skillset. During this time, Nerida had the opportunity to provide consultancy services to other organisations, remaining in the industry and contributing to her expertise.
In 2013, Nerida returned to business to take on the role of General Manager, Strategy and Support, taking executive level accountability for the Human Resources, Business Performance Analysis and Budgeting, Environment and Facilities functions and providing key strategic advice to the CEO. This role evolved to become Chief Operating Officer, further increasing her responsibilities to include Strategic Corporate Planning and Development, Finance, Operations and Compliance, Procurement, Information Technology and Project Management. In this capacity, she was able to lift her operational experience to the next level, namely, to drive the overall business strategy and achievement of results through her dynamic and responsive leadership, which values people at the front line.
Nerida's focus now is to offer her considerable domestic and international executive expertise to add value and growth to both existing and start up companies by providing sound advice and counsel to improve business performance and culture.