Our Board

Michael Gerloff – Chairman and Controlling Member Director

University Degree – Economics and business administration

Michael is Head of Business Unit Cane Sugar Nordzucker Group and Head of Business Development Nordzucker Group. Michael has a degree in economics and business administration and a banking background.

Over the last ten years Michael has been responsible for a significant number of sugar projects for Nordzucker Group on a global scale in Europe, Africa, South America and Asia. He has over 20 years' business experience in various industries, including over 15 years in positions as Managing Director and General Manager. Michael has worked primarily in agriculture, FMCG, consumer electronics, retail and banking.

Michael has special experience in mergers and acquisitions, restructuring and optimisation.

Sven Buhrmann – Controlling Member Director

Dipl.Ing (Food process technology)

Sven has been working for Nordzucker since 1995 in various positions including Head of Sugar Factory in Uelzen. He currently holds the position as Head of Investment and Maintenance and Major Projects Nordzucker Group and Head of Lean Optimisation Nordzucker Group.

He has a degree in food process technology with a focus on sugar and cereals from the Technical University of Berlin. He has experience in the cane industry in Costa Rica (working campaign), Brazil and as a consultant for an engineering consulting company (cane and beet sugar industry worldwide).

Sven served an apprenticeship as a confectioner. He is a member of the International Society of Sugar Cane Technologists.

Frank Knaelmann – Controlling Member Director

Dipl. Ing. Agr.

Frank has been working for Nordzucker since 2002 in various positions in the agricultural department and currently leads the department Agri Analysis and Sourcing Models. Frank has acquired state recognition as an agricultural management consultant and was employed as a management consultant.

He has degree in Agricultural Science from the Georg-August University in Göttingen, Germany. Frank is a certified farmer and runs a farm in Northern Germany.

Maurice Maughan - Controlling Member Director

FCA FTIA JP (C.dec)

Maurice became a Non-Grower Director of Mackay Sugar in June 2012. Prior to this he was a Director of Mossman Sugar Company Limited since 2007. In 2006, after 31 years, he retired from the international accounting firm KPMG as a partner. Maurice was responsible for providing advice to a number of companies including those in the Queensland sugar industry. He has extensive business experience as a result of his time with KPMG and remains actively involved as a Director or advisor to several companies. Maurice is a Director of Queensland Commodity Services and was appointed Chairman of the LMA Interim Board for the Bundaberg Irrigation Scheme in June 2013.

Lee Blackburn - Grower Director

GAICD

Lee was appointed as a Grower Director in October 2014. He has been a grower for more than 20 years and has been managing the family farm and harvesting business since 2002. Lee is the Chairman of the Eton Irrigation Scheme Pty Ltd, a Director of Queensland Commodity Services and Mackay Area Productivity Services. He is a former Director of Mackay Canegrowers Limited and a former member of the Canegrowers Mackay Area Committee. Lee is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

George Williams - Grower Director

George was appointed as a Grower Director in August 2019. He was appointed the Operating Partner at Racecourse Projects in 2013 after operating the family farm at Dawlish. George has extensive experience in developing large scale farm land and introducing technology adoption in the key areas of maintenance, farming and health, safety and environment. He also has experience in managing significant capital expenditure budgets.