Natalie Purdy
Branch Manager, Narrogin and Lake Grace, WA
- I learn from each client – taking something away from every meeting
- The joy of knowing we have been a part of our clients’ success
- Love spending my days talking to farmers
What do you like most about agribusiness?
The beauty of the ag industry is that it has been resilient to a lot of the impacts of COVID-19, and with positive news around land and commodity prices in our region, together with some rainfall – our farmers remain fairly optimistic. Farmers typically work in isolation a lot of the time, so the current restrictions thankfully haven’t put a stop to their operations.
How do you support our clients?
As a team we try to think outside the box when it comes to helping our clients make timely business decisions. That means tapping into the knowledge of colleagues across the business, not just within our branch. We are a truly local team, supported by a global network of agricultural experts.
We learn from our clients every day, taking something different away from every conversation we have, and using these insights as opportunities to add value and deliver results.
What do you enjoy most about your role?
The joy of knowing we have been a part of our clients’ success, whether that is getting them to a sustainable position financially, helping them grow their business or prepare for succession.
The resilience of farmers really puts things in perspective in your own life, when you see what some of them have overcome through the lifecycles of their business.
I learn from each client – taking something away from every meeting and the opportunity to add value, learn and this benefits other businesses.
How has COVID-19 affected the way you work?
I was still performing my role as Rural Manager in Merredin while starting the new position of Branch Manager for Narrogin & Lake Grace when the restrictions were introduced, so I had to adapt quickly whilst juggling two jobs!
We manage a portfolio of clients across an area spanning 300km east to west, so we typically spend a lot of time on the road, travelling to meet with farmers across the region. I miss being able to sit around the kitchen table with them, or drive around their property while discussing their business needs. The team, and our clients, have adapted quickly to using technology so these conversations can still happen.
I still try to maintain a routine of going for a walk in the morning, before getting setup for the day in my home office. Our staff meetings, and even our Friday knock off drinks are now held over Microsoft Teams!