Sugar Research Australia (SRA) has announced the appointment of Haydn Slattery as Interim Chief Executive Officer, following the departure of Mick Bartlett, who stepped down on 11 June.
SRA Chair Mike Barry, said Mr Slattery’s appointment provides strong leadership continuity at a critical time for the organisation and reinforced that SRA’s direction remains unchanged.
“I want to reassure all stakeholders that this change does not alter our direction,” Mr Barry said. “We are in the final stages of confirming our new five-year Strategic Plan, and our focus remains firmly on delivery. It is business as usual at SRA, and our commitment to supporting productivity and outcomes for growers and millers is unchanged.”
“Haydn is a highly experienced senior leader with a proven ability to lead complex operations and deliver results. His focus will be on driving the rollout of our new strategic plan and ensuring our work is aligned to the priorities that will deliver the greatest impact for industry.”
Mr Slattery will lead the launch and implementation of SRA’s 2026–2031 Strategic Plan, with a clear focus on aligning research, development and adoption activities to SRA’s strategic priorities: delivering better varieties, reducing losses from pests, diseases and weeds, and accelerating the adoption of proven solutions.
“I am focused on ensuring SRA’s efforts translate into tangible outcomes for growers and millers,” Mr Slattery said. “This means aligning our work to the new strategic priorities and maintaining a strong emphasis on performance, delivery and impact.”
About Haydn Slattery
Mr Slattery is a strategic senior leader with more than 30 years’ experience across diverse industries and business environments, including over 24 years in the Australian Sugar industry. He began his career as a Sugar Chemist with CSR (Wilmar), building deep technical and operational expertise that has underpinned his leadership across ASX-listed organisations, large multinationals and mid-sized private companies.
He has held senior operational and executive roles managing major sugar milling businesses, including with Mossman Central Mill and Mackay Sugar, where he led large scale production, workforce and commercial transformation initiatives.
Outside the sugar industry, Haydn has held executive positions in adjacent industrial sectors, including with the Japanese listed Oji Holdings, a global leader in packaging and fibre solutions, and the ASX-listed Ridley Corporation, Australia’s largest provider of animal nutrition solutions. Across these roles he has led multi-site operations, commercial strategy, and stakeholder engagements spanning Boards, government, growers and international partners.
Mr Slattery brings a reputation for stabilising organisations, strengthening operational performance and leading teams through periods of transition and strategic growth.
Mr Slattery has also held Board positions with several sugar industry joint ventures and agricultural services and is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Media contact: Alisa Cork, SRA Head of Communications on 0409 777 249
