Julie Bird

Chair of the Board,
Hort Innovation

Julie currently serves as Chair of the Board, a role she assumed in November 2020. She was first elected as a Director of Hort Innovation in 2018 and re-elected in 2021. With extensive experience as a non-executive director in the agribusiness sector, Julie brings a deep and diverse understanding of Australian horticulture. Her background spans a wide range of industries, including nuts, summerfruit, citrus, apples, and pears, reflecting her broad expertise and commitment to the sector.

Julie is also the Independent Chair of Australian Seafood Industries, Non-Executive Director of Cotton Research & Development Corporation and Grain Producers SA and has a retail floristry business “Say It With Flowers” based in Malvern, Victoria.

Previously Julie was Non-Executive Director and Deputy Chair of Plant Health Australia, CEO of the Almond Board of Australia, and Non-Executive Director of United Almonds Limited and the Australian Nut Industry Council. She has also served as Independent Chair of the Apple and Pear Industry Advisory Committee and the South Australian Apiary Industry Advisory Group.

Julie is an Australian Institute of Company Directors graduate (GAICD) and holds Bachelor of Teaching and Master of Business Administration (MBA Executive).