Nathan Wessling

Faraway is found beyond the city boundaries. It’s a place where sheep graze in scrubby bluebush hills and where the McBride family began its pastoral dynasty more than one hundred years ago. AJ & PA McBride is one of the country’s largest wool producers, running in excess of 250,000 merino sheep across ten properties in South Australia and Victoria, and covering more than 1.4 million hectares. Whilst predominantly sheep and wool focused, the company produces beef cattle and has investments in viticulture, as well as an off farm commercial property. Celebrating over 100 years in business and into its 6th generation, there are very few family members working in the business, but all 130 shareholders of the AJ and PA McBride company are descendants of Albert McBride, who bought the group’s first Faraway Hill sheep station near Burra in South Australia’s Mid North in 1902. Almost all the shareholders see themselves as custodians of the family business assets. From Faraway Hill to the modern multi-million-dollar livestock enterprise of Telopea Downs, this family company has remained committed to the fortunes of the fleece. Join 5th generation family member and Chairman, Nick McBride together with his cousin and board member Jane McBride and non-family executive Nathan Wessling, as they discuss how a strategic focus has contributed to ongoing sustainability and longevity of the family business; how the board directors are impacting the family’s current aims and objectives to achieve a lasting legacy; how they retain and promote positive shareholder engagement and a commitment to being custodians of the family business and the role of the non-family CEO in balancing family interests and more risky behaviours to enhance performance. Facilitated by Dr Jill, Thomas University of Adelaide Business School.