News & Advice

Kate Faulks, Ravensdown’s most recently elected director, says that she was intentional in her preparation for a role on the Ravensdown Board, but says being open to opportunities and unrestricted by a prescribed path helps her to achieve her governance goals.

Ahead of the call for candidates for Ravensdown’s 2025 Director Elections, Kate reflected on the eight months since she was elected to the board.

Asked what prompted her to put her hat into the ring last year, Kate said it was no spur of the moment decision.

“On reflection, I had essentially been preparing for governance for around six years.

“As well as developing my business acumen and governance capability, I spent time talking to other directors and people in the industry. For the Ravensdown Directorship I did a lot of due diligence that helped me understand if I was going to be aligned to the organisation and made sure I knew if it would be the right role to go for.”

“Since I’ve joined the Board, my desire to be a part of this organisation has only grown. It’s been great to get to know more people across Ravensdown and get an understanding of what it takes to get product to market and on-farm. I’ve enjoyed being able to see what’s under the lid and how the machine functions.”

Kate said it helped to establish an interest in governance relatively early in her career. As well as enrolling in industry funded courses (such as the To The Core programme), being open to opportunities and meeting new people, she was also very specific about tailoring her skillset.

“Between raising families, running businesses and meeting off-farm commitments, kiwi farmers tend to lead full lives, which also means we can be quite time poor.

“Through necessity, I’ve been good at assessing opportunities and have a good drafting gate to help separate the opportunities that would help me achieve my goals. Being time poor gives clarity over priorities and where to direct focus.”

Juggling commitments requires a certain amount of flexibility and adaptability, but one thing Kate does not compromise on is her values and her purpose.

“Governance roles come with a level of risk and a great deal of responsibility, which makes being really clear on why you are doing it so important.

“I’ve come to appreciate that true leadership lies in recognising that prudent risk-taking is essential for organisational growth and resilience. It’s easier to embrace that sort of opportunity if your values are aligned to the organisation’s values and you are supported to ask questions.”

Kate said while the time on the Board so far has gone quite quickly, she was surprised that she felt so comfortable to be authentic and curious so early in the role.

“That’s a testament to the culture of the Board and Leadership Team and the individual directors who all encourage me to share ideas and concepts and also challenge them.”

Kate’s advice for Ravensdown shareholders thinking of standing in the Director Election:

· Even if you don’t think you have the full CV, be clear on the skills you do have. Bridge the gap with curiosity, commitment and openness to growth.

· Be really clear and intentional – make sure this is the Board you want to be on and our values align with yours.

· Treat it like a project. Do your due diligence, get the right team around you. Have a clear plan and break it into manageable pieces. Celebrate the wins, learn from the challenges. Stay focussed on the goal.

· Authenticity resonates much more than a polished campaign. It’s a learning experience and it’s in leaning into discomfort that we find both personal and professional growth.

· If you are on the fence – step up (jump over!). Having more people put their hands up signals leadership and intent to shape the industry. And regardless of the outcome, you never know what opportunities may open.

2025 Ravensdown Director Elections

This year shareholders will have the opportunity to nominate and elect two directors to the