Who is Behind Finfish?

My name is Andrew Duff and I perform the role of Network Organiser for the Finfish initiative. The role of the Network Organiser is to provide the venue for participants to meet and to seed the innovation space with information that supports the development of an interesting and entertaining innovation dialog. The Finfish.org website is a ‘creation net’ designed to mobilise and support independent entities in the pursuit of distributed, collaborative and cumulative innovation. My role is to act as gate keeper, definer of network governance processes to coordinate the activities of the network as well as to determine how disputes will be resolved and performance measured.

These protocols for participation will start out as simple and informal -especially in the early stages of network formation (now).

The background that qualifies me to some degree to play this role includes the diversity of experiences that I have had in providing innovation coaching in corporate, university, research institute, public sector and new technology venture settings.

I was responsible for promoting the concept that Innovation Leadership is something that could be generated out of a dialog between talented people making up a global audience interested with a commitment to developing the future of aquaculture.

This effort is supported by the Aquacultiure Development Council which is a Ministerial Advisory Committee of the Western Australian Department of Fisheries. More can be understood about what the Council is trying to achieve and what it is contributing to the initiative by reading the information posted here.

The implementation of the Finfish initiative is guided by a group of people vitally interested in the future of the aquaculture industry. The Steering Group consists of Dexter Davies, Russell Barnett, Greg Jenkins and Steve Nel. A pen picture of their backgrounds and interests is provided below.

Dexter Davies was a project management accountant with Wesfarmers Europe Ltd, a wheat and sheep farmer (family farm) in Wyalkatchem for 20 years until 1998, a Councilor of the Western Australian Council of State School Organizations, a member of the Western Australian Parliament in the Legislative Council representing the Agricultural Region and a member of the National Drought Review Panel. He is currently Chairman of the Ministerial Dry Season Advisory Committee WA, a Director of the Rural Business Development Corporation WA, Chairman of the Western Rock Lobster Council, Chairman of the Aquaculture Development Council WA, a member of the National Agricultural Monitoring Scheme (NAMS) advisory reference group, a Councilor of the Royal Agricultural Society of WA. Dexter is also prominent in the governance of an array of state and local sporting organisations.

Russell Barnett has played leading roles in a number of start-up businesses in Australia and the Asia Pacific Region in a senior management, consulting and investor capacity. His specific experience includes operations, business development and strategic management, corporate governance, investment analysis and raising capital from private and public markets. Russell holds a Bachelor of Commerce Degree (University of Western Australia), a Graduate Certificate in Mineral Economics (Curtin University) and a Masters Degree in Business Administration (University of Western Australia). He is a Master Stockbroker and Practitioner Member of the Securities and Derivatives Association of Australia.

Greg Jenkins has worked in the aquaculture industry in Australia since 1981 in a wide range of aquaculture research and development, and fisheries positions in both the private and public sectors. Greg has been the Manager of Aquaculture Research and Development at the WA Maritime Training Centre since the early 1990’s and has led the strategic development of the Aquaculture Development Unit’s (ADU) facilities and programs. The ADU is one of Australia’s leading aquaculture research and training organisations, specialising in applied research and the provision of training services for establishing and sustaining a competitive aquaculture industry.

Steve Nel is the Manager of the Pearling and Aquaculture branch of the Western Australian Department of Fisheries. He has been involved in the aquaculture industry within Australia and overseas for over 25 years, mainly with the development and commercialisation of aquaculture technologies, fish production and project development. Part of his responsibilities include providing support for aquaculture industry development initiatives being undertaken by the Aquaculture Development Council. These include a project to produce large quantities of premium-quality marine fish off the Western Australian coast using innovative open ocean aquaculture production technologies. Steve is also involved in the processes to provide the dedicated legislative base and sites needed to support the development of a large-scale, sustainable aquaculture industry in Western Australia.