CEO’s message

Lately, I’ve been reflecting a lot on the past and the future. Perhaps that’s to be expected, with my retirement after 18 ½ years with Capricorn just a few short months away.

But it’s the celebrations for Capricorn’s fiftieth anniversary that have provided the greatest opportunity for reflection. Back in May, I had the honour of hosting almost all of our former CEOs at our new Perth headquarters. Frank O’Connor and Trent Bartlett joined Brad Gannon and myself for a couple of hours of reflections and reminiscences. My immediate predecessor, Greg, was unable to attend. Frank told stories about the very humble beginnings of our great cooperative. Trent shared tales of our period of strong growth under his leadership. I sat in awe, listening to our organisation’s elders, feeling increasingly proud of all we’ve achieved, and of my own role in Capricorn’s story. Beside me, of course, was Brad—the man who will take the reins in January. It was a great reminder that although my chapter is drawing to a close, Capricorn’s great story continues—our work for you, our Members, always drives us forward, no matter who is in the chair. I firmly believe Capricorn’s best years are ahead of us.

Our meeting was recorded for posterity. You can read all about it in the pages of this magazine and watch some of the interviews on cap.coop/50

Speaking of the future, one of my favourite jobs is hearing about our Capricorn Rising Stars Award. It’s always a great reminder of the incredible talent this industry attracts. We had very strong applicants this year and a thoroughly impressive Top 5 Finalists in Cooper Bullin, Dylan Sneddon, Marko Graovac, Megan Toia and Shalako Hauraki. Congratulations to all of them.

One thing I always look for in Rising Stars nominees is a thirst to really make a difference in our industry, and our finalists had that ambition in spades. They’re our industry’s future leaders and it’s encouraging to see the way they’re embracing the evolving nature of our industry. The future really is bright with young people like them coming through.

Finally, a reminder to get your tickets to your local Gala this year! I’ll be at each event and I’m looking forward to seeing everyone before I embrace a new future of my own—one that hopefully involves a lot more time on the golf course, time with family, and time watching from the sidelines as Capricorn goes from strength to strength.

David Fraser

Group CEO