MLA leader Jason Strong to leave in weeks

A week after its annual general meeting, MLA has lost its top executive. Read the details here.

One of the red meat industry’s key leaders has resigned and will leave within weeks.

Meat and Livestock Australia has just announced the resignation of its managing director Jason Strong, who will finish up on December 22.

Mr Strong held the position for about five years and said it was “a good time to create an opportunity for the next leaders of MLA”.

“We have just completed a very successful MLA updates event in Bendigo,” Mr Strong said. “It demonstrated so many good things that MLA has done and are doing to support the Australian red meat and livestock industry.

“We are about to commence the development of the final year annual investment plan of the current strategic plan and early next year we will be developing the next five-year plan.

“We have a great team and it will be good timing at Christmas to step aside and give the other leaders in the business the opportunity to develop and own those plans.”

Mr Strong has not said where he is going but hinted he will stay in the industry.

“There are other things I want to do and be part of in the industry that I am unable to do with the commitment I have to my role at MLA,” he said.

Jason Strong, MLA managing director will finish up on December 22.

“I don’t want to juggle as many competing demands on my time.

“MLA is a fantastic organisation and I feel like I have made a positive contribution. I am confident the team I leave behind will build on that and make it even better.”

MLA chairman Alan Beckett said Mr Strong had “led from the front with his passion for delivering value for levy-payers and government stakeholders”.

“He has helped deliver immense value for MLA, covering all areas of our operations, including research and development, marketing, community engagement, MSA, adoption and much more,” Mr Beckett said.

MLA’s chief operating officer Andrew Ferguson will step in as acting managing director while a recruitment process is conducted to find a replacement.