Agronomists
Our team of highly qualified agronomists and agricultural scientists are committed to providing advice to growers to improve soil and plant health outcomes. Based on customer feedback, we continually strive to improve or create new uses for existing products and develop new products that add value for our growers. Our collaboration with Monash University, other research institutions and grower/industry groups in Australia provides additional resources for product development and testing.
All employees are committed to the company’s core values of:
- Honesty and integrity in all our business dealings
- High quality service
- Innovative product development
- Open communication with all stakeholders
- Genuine concern for the environment
Australia
James joined Omnia in 2013 after working for 15 years in the corporate Agribusiness sector. He has over 25 years’ experience in Agribusiness including Agri-finance, manufacturing, distribution, sales and marketing. James holds a Bachelor of Environmental Management and a Master of Agricultural Economics.
He has a passion for agriculture and the science behind it, particularly soil sustainability and crop nutrition. He subscribes to the philosophy that improving soil health by implementing sustainable practices, is the key to feeding a growing world. He understands the importance and benefits of working in a team both locally and globally and strives to add value to all members of the agricultural value chain.
Western Australia - Southern
Jan De Jager
Director Exports
Omnia International Australia
Based in Perth and covering WA from Perth south, Jan de Jager is one of Australia’s leading Agronomists, joining Omnia in 1992. Jan has a Master of Ag Science degree and was awarded a gold medal for best BSc Agriculture student by the South African Society of Plant Production. Jan also presented Agronomy classes at the University of Pretoria as a guest lecturer until immigrating to Australia in 1999.
Jan has over 30 years’ experience in plant nutrition, product development and consultancy, offering great advice on how to maximise your crop yields.
Australia
Kieran is a highly esteemed professional leading our national Agronomy team. With over two decades of experience in irrigated crops, including grapes, fruit, vegetables, and nuts, he brings a wealth of expertise to our organization. Kieran's profound knowledge and passion for optimizing crop performance through soil and plant health have made him an invaluable asset in the agricultural industry. His unwavering dedication to improving farming operations and exceptional problem-solving abilities have made him a sought-after professional in the field.
As the leader of our national Agronomy team, he demonstrates visionary leadership and thrives in the dynamic and ever-evolving industry. Kieran's unwavering commitment to excellence is evident in his strategic approach and ability to navigate challenges, making him a valuable asset to our team and the industry as a whole.
SA - SOUTH EAST, YP, EP, CLARE & BAROSSA
Lelanie is a well-known identity in the soil and plant health segment and manages an important region of SA.
Lelanie has a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Stellenbosch, also a famous wine region of South Africa. She is a qualified winemaker/viticulturist and has extensive wine grape expertise and broad experience in a range of horticultural crops.
She loves talking to customers about biostimulants, soil health and foliar fertilisers.
VIC - Sunraysia
Ken, born and raised in Nangiloc, Victoria, has a strong connection to the region and a passion for its development and success. With an impressive 40-year tenure in the industry, Ken brings extensive knowledge and expertise across all aspects of the business, particularly in citrus and almond cultivation, production, and management.
His profound understanding of the industry's intricacies, coupled with his dedication to its growth, make him an invaluable asset to our team. Throughout his career, Ken has consistently demonstrated exceptional skills and achievements, leveraging his deep-rooted knowledge of the region, its challenges, and its opportunities to navigate complexities effortlessly.
His visionary outlook and innovative approaches have led to numerous successes, fostering growth and advancement within the industry.
Northern WA & Northern Territory
Based in Perth Johan services WA from Perth north and the NT, Johan worked for Omnia in South Africa for some nine years, before immigrating to Australia to join the Omnia Australia team. Johan has a passion for soil health, developed over many years recommending balanced fertiliser programs and is our in-house expert on Boron and Molybdenum.
Johan enjoys the challenge of improving the sustainability of farming operations while improving yields and quality.
NSW
Rob Gill is based at Darlington Point, in NSW’s Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area, near Griffith.
He takes care of our NSW customers with a focus on Liverpool Plains to the Murray River, from the grain belt to the coastal fringe.
He has extensive in-field experience in horticulture, row crops such as cotton, maize and soybeans as well as broadacre cereals, rice, pulse crops, oilseeds and pasture forage. Rob’s agronomy is both practical and scientific, driven by grower objectives and a solid understanding of soil, water and plant interactions.
Rob has a strong passion for soil health, and a strong willingness to get out there and discuss strategies with growers, agronomists and consultants across NSW.
NSW
Based in the town of Coffs Harbour, NSW, Mark is dedicated to serving the coastal regions of New South Wales, extending from North of Sydney to the Queensland border. With a profound passion for science, Mark delves into the depths to unlock the full potential of Omnia's innovative agronomic solutions.
Not content with just field work, Mark's enthusiasm drives him to actively contribute to Omnia's Research & Development division, where he provides technical expertise and unwavering support to the entire team. His mission is to ensure that the strategic solutions offered by Omnia are not only met but also thoroughly understood by all parties involved.
Mark's journey is a harmonious blend of scientific exploration, agricultural ingenuity, and the desire to make a positive impact on farming practices in the coastal regions. Through his dedication and commitment, he strives to create a lasting difference and pave the way for a more sustainable and prosperous agricultural future.
QLD - Southern Queensland
Based in Bundaberg, Brendan services Queensland south of Rockhampton, Burnett, Lockyer Valley and Stanthorpe. Brendan has a degree in Agricultural Science and close to 30 years practical experience. He has dealt with a comprehensive range of crops, both horticultural and broadacre.
Brendan has a strong understanding and passion for soil health and experience in recommending practical and economical strategies for improvement. With over 16 years in Omnia Australia Brendan has an immense knowledge of how our product features, capabilities and applications can benefit growers across a huge range of crops.
QLD - WESTERN, CENTRAL & NORTH QUEENSLAND
David has been servicing the agricultural industry for over 30 years. He has experience in a wide variety of horticultural tree, vegetable and vine crops, as well as irrigated and dryland cereal, legume and oilseed cropping. David is based in Brisbane and services the North of Queensland from Mackay, Central Queensland as well as South of Toowoomba, and the South West of the state.
David has a passion for soil biology and the practices that are associated with soil health. David is a keen family man and loves spending time with his grandchildren.
Victoria & Tasmania
Ian is an experienced sales and marketing specialist with over 20 years within the agricultural/ horticultural industry. Ian started his career in the turf industry before moving into horticulture (tree crops, vines and veg) and agriculture (row crops and broadacre).
Ian is in his element developing programs for growers based on his background with liquid nutrition and biologicals for both leaf and soil applications.
Ian is passionate about building healthy deep soils, through all means available with biostimulants and humates being essential in this process.
VIC - Mildura
Danielle, a farm girl from the Eyre Peninsula of South Australia, studied Agriculture at Adelaide University. From there Danielle entered the industry of broadacre agronomy in the Mid North of South Australia. Curiosity led her into the wine grape industry, where she had experience working in both vineyards and wineries.
Danielle joins the Omnia team as the Mildura-based Territory Manager. Danielle also brings to the table fast marketing experience. She is keen to diversify her skills into Horticulture in the Sunraysia region, particularly focussing on soil health and plant nutrition.
R & D
With a passion for improving crop production, Andrew Doecke manages our R&D program in Australia. Based on the Murray River in Loxton, SA, he has over 25 years of experience working with biostimulants.
In conjunction with our international R&D team, Andrew works to extend our knowledge of our existing product range, plus bring through the next generation of solutions to increase crop productivity.
International
North America, South America & Southern Africa
Jan De Jager
Director Exports
Omnia International Australia
Based in Perth and covering WA from Perth south, Jan de Jager is one of Australia’s leading Agronomists, joining Omnia in 1992. Jan has a Master of Ag Science degree and was awarded a gold medal for best BSc Agriculture student by the South African Society of Plant Production. Jan also presented Agronomy classes at the University of Pretoria as a guest lecturer until immigrating to Australia in 1999.
Jan has over 30 years’ experience in plant nutrition, product development and consultancy, offering great advice on how to maximise your crop yields.
Africa, Europe, Middle East
Beginning life in Ethiopia, and coming to Australia after graduate studies in Egypt and completing his doctorate in plant physiology at the University of Pretoria in South Africa, Teferi brings a wealth of knowledge of the inner workings of plants.
Being member of Omnia’s Research & Development programme, Teferi has a rare ability to make the complicated understandable, and excels in his ability to identify the critical factors in crop performance. Teferi spends much of his life travelling to his international clients, leading Omnia’s international exports in different continents.
Asia
Originally from the Philippines, Jesse immigrated to Australia in 2013. Jesse has a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (Marketing Major) degree, gaining a wealth of skills and experiences in the field of sales, marketing and business development from his previous roles at multinational companies Zuellig, Connell Brothers and Syngenta.
An accomplished fertiliser and chemical sales professional, Jesse has an extensive background in handling major customers in the agriculture and manufacturing sectors and implementing strategic key accounts management across territories.
Working in an international sales role for Omnia, Jesse always looks forward to working with different customers in the Asian region, cooperating with local distributors and helping farmers to be as fruitful as possible in the ever-changing and challenging field of agricultural production.