Julie Bird

Julie is current Chair of the Board, being appointed to this position in November 2020.  She was elected as a Director of Hort Innovation in 2018 and re-elected in 2021.  Julie is an experienced non-executive director in the agribusiness sector with a broad background in Australian horticulture spanning nuts, summerfruit, citrus, apples and pears. 

She currently serves as Independent Chair of Australian Seafood Industries, Non-Executive Director of Cotton Research & Development Corporation and Grain Producers SA and has a retail floristry business “Say It With Flowers” based in Malvern, Victoria.

Previously Julie was Non-Executive Director and Deputy Chair of Plant Health Australia, CEO of the Almond Board of Australia, and Non-Executive Director of United Almonds Limited and the Australian Nut Industry Council.  She has also served as Independent Chair of the Apple and Pear Industry Advisory Committee and the South Australian Apiary Industry Advisory Group. 

Julie is an Australian Institute of Company Directors graduate (GAICD) and holds Bachelor of Teaching and Master of Business Administration (MBA Executive).