Meet the team
We have a strong Board and leadership team that ensures we are a progressive, influential and sustainable organisation. The Australian Food and Grocery Council operates from Canberra to maintain close relationships with government and has team members located around Australia to stay connected with the industry and our members.
Leadership team
Tanya Barden OAM | Chief Executive Officer
Tanya Barden OAM
Chief Executive Officer
Tanya Barden is the CEO of the Australian Food and Grocery Council, the leading national organisation representing Australia’s food and grocery manufacturing sector, and is an Independent Director of Foodbank Australia.
Throughout her career Tanya has worked in government and the private sector on policy, economic, regulatory and sustainability issues that impact industry. Tanya also previously ran her own online organic grocery business.
Having also held the position of Director, Economics, Trade and Sustainability with the AFGC for seven years, Tanya understands members’ needs, offering deep insights into the issues faced by members, along with the opportunities and challenges that may arise.
Tanya holds Bachelor of Economics/ Bachelor of Arts degrees and is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. Contact Tanya >>
Barry Cosier, Director | Sustainability
“I enjoy working with members to help them understand the ways they can reduce their environmental impact and comply with legislation.”
Barry Cosier is Director, Sustainability for the Australian Food and Grocery Council (AFGC). He helps members navigate the complexities of sustainable practices by drawing on his extensive experiences in the grocery and resource recovery industries. Barry worked in Customer Development and Trade roles for Johnson and Johnson Pacific, Sanofi, Reckitt and Colman. He was also Chief Executive Officer of Madura Tea and served as a Board Member and Chair of the SME Forum for AFGC. To expand his knowledge, Barry moved into the resource recovery industry and was the Contracts and Corporate Affairs Manager for Solo Resource Recovery. He stays at the forefront of this industry by serving as a member of the Department of Environment and Energy Food Waster Steering Committee and the National Waste Policy Industry Reference Group. This helps Barry support members that are striving to reduce their environmental footprint and care for the community and environment. Contact Barry >>
Samantha Blake, Director | Competitiveness and Growth
“I help members identify supply chain efficiencies and strengthen relationships with retailers to grow their revenue.”
Samantha Blake is Director, Competitiveness and Growth at the Australian Food and Grocery Council. She works with members on a wide range of commercial, supply chain and retail trade issues impacting the Australian market. Some of the ways Samantha helps members and the industry is work on the Food and Grocery Code of Conduct, end-to-end value chain opportunities, commercial and sales capabilities and enhancing the financial competitiveness of the Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) industry. Members draw on her insights from 18 years’ experience working in the industry in Australia and United Kingdom. This work encompassed all areas of food operations including executive management roles in manufacturing, technical and supply chain divisions of FMCG organisations. She was responsible for production, maintenance, engineering, quality, product and process development so has a deep understanding to support members. Contact Samantha >>
Dr Duncan Craig | Director Nutrition and Regulation
During his early career, Dr Craig worked as an Environmental Health Officer in South Australia and then held several positions at FSANZ, including Principal Microbiologist.
In 2016, Duncan joined the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources (now the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) as a Principal Scientist. He has held a number of roles in DAFF, such as a recent three-year posting to Beijing as Counsellor (Agriculture) at the Australian Embassy.
His roles have provided Dr Craig with extensive experience in scientific areas relevant to food, policy development, trade frameworks and regulatory environments across domestic and international settings..
Scott McGrath, Director | Government and Media Relations
Several years in political offices across State and Federal Governments have equipped him with a deep understanding of government processes, and the jurisdictional challenges and opportunities they carry.
In a previous role, Scott established the government relations function in the nation’s principal standards body. In doing so, he was required to distil the complex technical work of the organisation to bureaucrats and political decision-makers in all state jurisdictions across the Commonwealth.
The media relations side of Scott’s team is tasked with highlighting the significant positive work of AFGC members and the broader industry. By raising the profile, his team is also well-placed to advocate on key issues for the sector.
Scott’s in-house communications and media roles for major organisations, and his tenure as an external government relations consultant, equip him with skills to pursue strong relationships and positive outcomes for AFGC members and the industry. Contact Scott >>
AFGC Board members
The Board is made up of leaders from the industry, including:
| Name | AFGC Board Position | Industry Position |
| Darren O’Brien | Chair | President Australia, New Zealand & Japan, Mondelez |
| Anthony Holme | Deputy Chair | Managing Director, Kellogg’s Australia and New Zealand |
| Nigel Parsons | Director | Chief Executive Officer, Asahi Lifestyle Beverages |
| Lyn Radford | Director | Managing Director, Chobani |
| Belinda Driscoll | Director | VP & Managing Director, ANZ at Kimberly-Clark |
| Paris Golden | Director | Managing Director, McCormick Foods Australia Pty Ltd |
| Ray Hanly | Director | Chief Executive Officer, Beak and Johnston Pty Ltd |