Our Leadership Team.
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Shane Vicary
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
Shane joined AKD as its Chief Executive in July 2011, and was appointed as a Director in 2020.
Under Shane’s leadership, AKD has transformed from its traditional base in regional Victoria to being Australia’s largest sawmiller, with a manufacturing and distribution footprint across Queensland, NSW and Victoria. Strategic investments in technology and acquisitions have underpinned the company’s growth, over this time.
Shane has spent over 20 years in the forest products industry, holding senior roles in sawmilling, solid wood processing, pulp and paper, and MDF manufacturing. Prior to joining AKD, Shane was employed as General Manager for a New Zealand wood products business, manufacturing and exporting its products to the world.
Shane’s career experience is international, with strong commercial and strategic exposure to Europe, Asia, North America, and Australasia, and across operations, sales, supply chain and governance functions.
Shane has a Bachelor of Commerce from Otago University in New Zealand and a Post Graduate Diploma in Commerce.
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Glen Darroch
CHIEF FINANCE OFFICER
Glen joined AKD Softwoods as Chief Financial Officer in November 2015.
Prior to joining AKD, Glen had 11 years in senior finance and commercial roles in the mining industry in Australia and the USA. This included a range of senior executive roles with major mining company, Iluka Resources Ltd.
Glen has over 20 years experience in finance roles, having started his career with PricewaterhouseCoopers and spending several years in the chartered accounting and banking industries.
Glen holds a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Melbourne, an MBA from Deakin University and is a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand.
Glen represents AKD as a Director of the Highland Pine Products Joint Venture and the SPE woodchip export joint venture.
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Clark Rodger
GENERAL MANAGER - HUMAN RESOURCES
Clark has been with AKD for over 10 years, having joined AKD in January 2012 in the role of Graduate HR Advisor. Since this time, Clark has expanded his knowledge, skills and experiences, being promoted to HR Manager in 2014, and appointed to the Executive Team in 2017.
Clark holds a Bachelor of Commerce (HR & Management), is a certified member of the Australian HR institute and has undertaken further studies in Health and Safety, Frontline Management and Competitive Manufacturing Systems.
In 2018 Clark was seconded to the role of Project Manager for a period of 12 months to lead the project execution and transition of the NSW sites into the business following their acquisition to AKD. His leadership role with this was integral to the integration process and the business synergies that have since continued to be leveraged.
Clark holds responsibility for the HR, Workcover, Payroll and Communications functions of the business.
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Liam Buchanan
GENERAL MANAGER - SALES
Liam joined AKD in 1999 completing a forestry admin traineeship before moving into sales.
From 2002 until 2006, Liam pursued a professional sporting career in which saw him live in the UK for periods of time.
His sporting career saw him in leadership roles at state level and captaining the Melbourne and Geelong Cricket clubs as well as various coaching roles.
Since Liam’s return in 2006, he has been promoted from customer account management roles to Sales Management and currently General Manager Sales.
Liam leads the business’ customer-focus strategy and AKD’s value proposition to its channel customers of “being easy to do business with”.
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Toni Kirkup
NATIONAL HEALTH & SAFETY MANAGER
Toni joined AKD in June 2015 as the Health & Safety Advisor for what was then the Colac site.
Following the acquisition of additional sites, Toni’s role expanded to becoming the National Health & Safety Manager and was appointed to the Executive Team in 2022.
Toni has over 15 years’ experience in manufacturing and within the sawmilling industry and 8 years within the agri-business industry. Toni also represents AKD in the Work Health & Safety Industry Group.
With an undeniable passion for her role and a genuine care for people – Zero Harm is not simply a slogan to Toni, it is her goal.
Toni holds an Advanced Diploma in OHS and experience & studies associated to Health and Safety Management Systems, Lead Auditing, Injury Management, Incident Investigation and Changing Safety Culture.
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Paul Hartung
GENERAL MANAGER - OPERATIONS
Paul is AKD’s General Manager Operations.
Prior to joining AKD, Paul ran one of Australia’s largest Sawmills in South Australia for a vertically integrated company as their General Manager of Sawmilling Operations Australia.
Paul has over 30 years timber industry experience and during this time has worked with finger jointing, remanufacturing, dry processing and green milling.
Over the last 20 years Paul progressed his way into Site Manager roles running sawmill across Australia from Tasmania to New South Wales and most recently in South Australia.
Paul has a passion for the timber industry, recently sitting as a member of the Green Triangle Timber Industry Awards committee to help acknowledge and recognise the significant contributions employees across the industry make to our sector.
Paul’s other passion is working with youth in regional areas to help work with troubled areas of our communities to help make a thriving community through youth and over the last 2 years working as a youth mentor through the LifeChanger Foundation program being run across High Schools Australia wide.
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Neil Cooper
GENERAL MANAGER - PROJECTS
Neil joined AKD at the end of 2022 as General Manager for Capital Projects.
Neil has over 40 years’ experience in operations, maintenance, engineering, and construction, domestically and internationally, principally in mining and construction materials.
Prior to joining AKD, Neil was the Head of Capital Projects for a listed construction materials company, managing the delivery of a range of large-scale projects ($10 to $160M) across Australia.
Neil has extensive experience in complex portfolio and project management, multidiscipline construction management and process engineering and design. His focus with AKD is to enhance the stewardship of projects and capital investment.
Neil has qualifications in mechanical trades and advanced trade certificates and holds a Graduate Diploma in Maintenance Engineering (CQU), Master’s Degrees in Reliability Engineering (Monash), Project Management (UQ), and Applied Law (QUT).
Shane Vicary
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
Shane joined AKD as its Chief Executive in July 2011, and was appointed as a Director in 2020.
Under Shane’s leadership, AKD has transformed from its traditional base in regional Victoria to being Australia’s largest sawmiller, with a manufacturing and distribution footprint across Queensland, NSW and Victoria. Strategic investments in technology and acquisitions have underpinned the company’s growth, over this time.
Shane has spent over 20 years in the forest products industry, holding senior roles in sawmilling, solid wood processing, pulp and paper, and MDF manufacturing. Prior to joining AKD, Shane was employed as General Manager for a New Zealand wood products business, manufacturing and exporting its products to the world.
Shane’s career experience is international, with strong commercial and strategic exposure to Europe, Asia, North America, and Australasia, and across operations, sales, supply chain and governance functions.
Shane has a Bachelor of Commerce from Otago University in New Zealand and a Post Graduate Diploma in Commerce.
Glen Darroch
CHIEF FINANCE OFFICER
Glen joined AKD Softwoods as Chief Financial Officer in November 2015.
Prior to joining AKD, Glen had 11 years in senior finance and commercial roles in the mining industry in Australia and the USA. This included a range of senior executive roles with major mining company, Iluka Resources Ltd.
Glen has over 20 years experience in finance roles, having started his career with PricewaterhouseCoopers and spending several years in the chartered accounting and banking industries.
Glen holds a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Melbourne, an MBA from Deakin University and is a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand.
Glen represents AKD as a Director of the Highland Pine Products Joint Venture and the SPE woodchip export joint venture.
Clark Rodger
GENERAL MANAGER - HUMAN RESOURCES
Clark has been with AKD for over 10 years, having joined AKD in January 2012 in the role of Graduate HR Advisor. Since this time, Clark has expanded his knowledge, skills and experiences, being promoted to HR Manager in 2014, and appointed to the Executive Team in 2017.
Clark holds a Bachelor of Commerce (HR & Management), is a certified member of the Australian HR institute and has undertaken further studies in Health and Safety, Frontline Management and Competitive Manufacturing Systems.
In 2018 Clark was seconded to the role of Project Manager for a period of 12 months to lead the project execution and transition of the NSW sites into the business following their acquisition to AKD. His leadership role with this was integral to the integration process and the business synergies that have since continued to be leveraged.
Clark holds responsibility for the HR, Workcover, Payroll and Communications functions of the business.
Liam Buchanan
GENERAL MANAGER - SALES
Liam joined AKD in 1999 completing a forestry admin traineeship before moving into sales.
From 2002 until 2006, Liam pursued a professional sporting career in which saw him live in the UK for periods of time.
His sporting career saw him in leadership roles at state level and captaining the Melbourne and Geelong Cricket clubs as well as various coaching roles.
Since Liam’s return in 2006, he has been promoted from customer account management roles to Sales Management and currently General Manager Sales.
Liam leads the business’ customer-focus strategy and AKD’s value proposition to its channel customers of “being easy to do business with”.
Toni Kirkup
NATIONAL HEALTH & SAFETY MANAGER
Toni joined AKD in June 2015 as the Health & Safety Advisor for what was then the Colac site.
Following the acquisition of additional sites, Toni’s role expanded to becoming the National Health & Safety Manager and was appointed to the Executive Team in 2022.
Toni has over 15 years’ experience in manufacturing and within the sawmilling industry and 8 years within the agri-business industry. Toni also represents AKD in the Work Health & Safety Industry Group.
With an undeniable passion for her role and a genuine care for people – Zero Harm is not simply a slogan to Toni, it is her goal.
Toni holds an Advanced Diploma in OHS and experience & studies associated to Health and Safety Management Systems, Lead Auditing, Injury Management, Incident Investigation and Changing Safety Culture.
Paul Hartung
GENERAL MANAGER - OPERATIONS
Paul is AKD’s General Manager Operations.
Prior to joining AKD, Paul ran one of Australia’s largest Sawmills in South Australia for a vertically integrated company as their General Manager of Sawmilling Operations Australia.
Paul has over 30 years timber industry experience and during this time has worked with finger jointing, remanufacturing, dry processing and green milling.
Over the last 20 years Paul progressed his way into Site Manager roles running sawmill across Australia from Tasmania to New South Wales and most recently in South Australia.
Paul has a passion for the timber industry, recently sitting as a member of the Green Triangle Timber Industry Awards committee to help acknowledge and recognise the significant contributions employees across the industry make to our sector.
Paul’s other passion is working with youth in regional areas to help work with troubled areas of our communities to help make a thriving community through youth and over the last 2 years working as a youth mentor through the LifeChanger Foundation program being run across High Schools Australia wide.
Neil Cooper
GENERAL MANAGER - PROJECTS
Neil joined AKD at the end of 2022 as General Manager for Capital Projects.
Neil has over 40 years’ experience in operations, maintenance, engineering, and construction, domestically and internationally, principally in mining and construction materials.
Prior to joining AKD, Neil was the Head of Capital Projects for a listed construction materials company, managing the delivery of a range of large-scale projects ($10 to $160M) across Australia.
Neil has extensive experience in complex portfolio and project management, multidiscipline construction management and process engineering and design. His focus with AKD is to enhance the stewardship of projects and capital investment.
Neil has qualifications in mechanical trades and advanced trade certificates and holds a Graduate Diploma in Maintenance Engineering (CQU), Master’s Degrees in Reliability Engineering (Monash), Project Management (UQ), and Applied Law (QUT).