Kate Faulks urges more farmers to step into governance roles

That’s according to Ravensdown director Kate Faulks, who says there are many astute farmers out there who already have what it takes to be good board directors.

“They’re constantly scanning, solving problems, exploring opportunities, looking for better efficiency and they’re often thinking long-term and they’re doing this day to day in their businesses so whether they know or not, those things all translate really well to the boardroom,” Faulks told Rural News.

Elected to the Ravensdown board in September 2024, Faulks has a unique perspective on governance. She holds a Bachelor of Engineering with Honors in Chemical & Process and a Master of Business Administration and since 2018, Faulks and her husband Adam have been farming in North Otago, rearing and finishing 500 dairy-beef and grazing 1400 dairy stock.

“My background in engineering operations laid a good foundation for governance. Both require the ability to understand complex problems and then explore multiple solutions so it sort of trained me to be by default a systems- thinker and always thinking bigger picture but then when we began farming in 2018, I began really interested in the role of cooperatives, not just because of their role in agriculture but how they influence the broader economy,” she says.

She says it was agriculture’s role in New Zealand’s economy that motivated her to get involved in governance.

“I think governance really offers you the opportunity to contribute to those decisions that don’t just effect a business, but they effect entire communities, stakeholders, and future generations effectively.

“It really relates quite closely to farming because I think very much about stewardship in terms of the role of a director and I see it more as being a custodian of the company, similar to how farmers are custodians of the land and we’re making decisions now that will position us better for the future.”

Faulks says that while strategic thinking is an important trait for those wanting to be on boards, she values things like clarity.

“I think governance is just as much about the emotional intelligence… I think a good director stays curious, they have the courage to ask both the tough questions and also the really simple questions are just as important.

“I think it’s equally as important to know what governance is not. It’s not running the business,” she says. “We have an excellent leadership team that’s actually taking care of that.”

Faulks says farmers looking to join a board should start locally.

“Start where you are, whether it’s a local board, a catchment group or a local trust. Every experience builds your skillset and sharpens your thinking.”

In 2025, Ravensdown shareholders will have the opportunity to nominate and elect two directors to the company’s board – one in the North Island and one in the South Island.