Agriculture and Food Minister Alannah MacTiernan has welcomed the appointment of Richard Simonaitis as Chief Executive Officer of Grains Australia.
Mr Simonaitis has most recently been the CEO of the Australian Export Grains Innovation Centre (AEGIC), a not-for-profit company owned by the State Government and the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) to increase the value of the industry.
During his six year tenure with AEGIC, Mr Simonaitis has overseen the evolution of the organisation, which has included market diversification and the development of new products and value adding opportunities.
Recent AEGIC accomplishments include research to support the commercialisation of new oat rice and noodle products, exploring wheat supply chains for cake and biscuit manufacturing, alongside its valuable business insights into the future outlook for Australian grains.
Earlier this year, AEGIC secured a $24 million investment over four years from its owners for 2022-23 to 2025-26, to enable the organisation to maintain and build new trade opportunities and industry value.
As stated by Agriculture and Food Minister Alannah MacTiernan:
"Congratulations to Richard Simonaitis on his appointment. He will be a great asset to Grains Australia and its work throughout the national supply chain.
"Richard has created an exceptional team and culture at AEGIC, which has delivered a strong national brand and reputation.
"His intimate knowledge of the WA grains industry - the nation's biggest - and our overseas markets will make him a great ambassador for our State.
"I wish him well in his new role and look forward to the appointment of a new CEO for AEGIC."
