Changes at APAL

Over the past six months APAL CEO Phil Turnbull has worked with the APAL team and Board to conduct a strategic, commercial and financial review of the organisation with a focus on developing a new industry strategy.

The new APAL strategy will align with the organisation’s focus on supporting commercial apple and pear growers.

“APAL exists to advocate on behalf of apple and pear growers, assisting in building orchard productivity and profitability; to protect and promote our intellectual property; and deliver opportunities for our industry and our licensees around Australia and all over the world,” Phil explains.

While not yet finalised, the strategy will prioritise delivering genuine value to growers and will place more emphasis on the commercial side of the business to open new opportunities for growers.

“We will continue to manage APAL for the benefit of the Australian industry and Australian growers in line with our constitution. However, we will also focus on a new level of rigour around performance and a renewed accountability for outcomes. We want the value we create for our growers, licensees and stakeholders to be more transparent as we grow.

Garry Langford will be leaving APAL in the coming months to pursue new opportunities.

“I’ve been extremely gratified and encouraged by our team’s ability to pull together as we have worked through this review. The Board is unanimous in its support for our strategic direction, and the APAL team are engaged and enthusiastic about the future.

“Sadly, as we work through this process one of our longstanding team members, Garry Langford, has informed us he will be leaving APAL in the coming months to pursue new opportunities, following 19 years with the organisation.”

Garry has been instrumental in developing APAL’s world-leading intellectual property business, based on the Pink Lady™ trade mark, which is now registered in more than 70 territories worldwide. During his time at APAL, Garry has managed the Australian Pome Fruit Improvement Program (APFIP) – including oversight of APFIP’s role in the certification of nursery trees – and served as an effective liaison with international breeding programs, and the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service (AQIS). Garry has also been a Director of Prevar, the world-class apple and pear breeding program.

Garry will remain with APAL until 23 June, 2017 to ensure a smooth transition as the APAL strategy is finalised.

“There are exciting times ahead for APAL, our industry and our stakeholders and I am looking forward to working with all our stakeholders as we begin the next chapter.”