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24/08/2022
Over her 25 year Rabobank career, Sally Bull has worked hand-in-hand with farmers from across the Riverina region, helping support and grow their business goals. And it’s a privilege she does not take lightly.
“There’s a reason I’ve been with Rabobank for so long, and it all comes down to our clients,” she said. “I feel very fortunate working with fantastic farmers, helping them build strong, successful businesses, some relationships are now spanning into the second generation.”
“My parents had a sheep and irrigated cereals and oilseed farm at Coleambally, and prior to travelling I’d attended Orange Ag College and worked in the office of a large cropping and feedlot operation, so I had a great appreciation for ag – although I actually had ambitions of being a journalist.”
Rather than telling ag’s story, Sally became part of it, later working for Rabobank in Griffith and Sydney before eventually settling in Wagga Wagga in 2007 – initially as a senior manager, then branch manager.
Today she is the Riverina/Northern Victorian Regional Manager, focused on leading a strong team delivering outcomes to local farmers, and the community.
“The beauty of our regional team is that everyone is truly invested in ag – we all have an ag or agri banking background and genuinely want to see our clients do well.”
The strong team culture – which she believes reflects the fact staff are all like-minded in their genuine interest in agriculture – coupled with Rabobank’s strong local and global network of RaboResearch analysts, also ensured a highly specialised, expert service.
And she said the results spoke for themselves, with staff regularly going above and beyond for clients.
“We work swiftly for our clients when it comes to finance and approvals, particularly in regards to acquisitions – our team of managers and analysts are working around the clock for a positive outcome.”
Partnering for growth
Proud to lead such a dedicated team, she’s also heartened by the fact staff are genuinely excited by their roles and careers.
“That’s the difference at Rabobank, our people are passionate about forming long-term relationships with clients, because we understand agriculture and take a long-term approach to farm businesses.”
“Building genuine relationships, helps us to really understand our clients and their business, so we can be more proactive rather than reacting,” Sally said.
Peter Evans and Hamish McAlpin are two other familiar faces in the region, having both enjoyed equally long and successful careers.
Peter, covers Wagga Wagga, Bendigo, Echuca and Swan Hill, whilst Shepparton-based Hamish works across Shepparton, Albury and Griffith.
“Both Pete and Hamish are previous regional managers, who chose to return back to client-based roles, which exemplifies the commitment of our staff to their clients.”
Community too remains at the heart of Rabobank, with the bank, and staff all actively involved in contributing to the vibrancy of regional and rural Australia.
Contributing to a vibrant Riverina
Thanks to the Rabo Client Council – a group of the bank’s farming clients who volunteer their time implementing programs that contribute to the sustainability of rural communities – we have a number of initiatives directly helping the region, Sally said.
Recently, four financial skills workshops were held locally, with a further seven planned for next year – helping equip young farmers with the business tools to run a successful farming operation.
In Wagga Wagga, she said staff have volunteered at the Care Van, an organisation that provides meals for the homeless and disadvantaged, whilst in Shepparton the branch supports Rotary, and organisations such as Riding for the Disabled.
For the past four years, Rabobank has also partnered with Boys to the Bush, a local initiative aimed at empowering and mentoring vulnerable young men in the community.
“This is something we’re all very proud of, and this October staff will be volunteering at the Boys to the Bush Gala Days in Albury and Wodonga, showcasing a range of career options, and support networks with a fun day of activities.”
Recently, Rabobank also hosted a dedicated carbon training workshop – aiming to declutter the carbon conversation and exploring opportunities and challenges in the carbon space.
“We had 30 clients and staff attend, all learning together to understand carbon and emissions, and I think everyone was grateful for the opportunity to really get a handle on the topic and enjoy some robust discussion.”
The workshop also proved a valuable networking opportunity, she said, noting that many farmers more advanced in their carbon journey were extremely generous with their time and knowledge with those farmers just entering the conversation.
“At the end of the day working for Rabobank is so much more than working for a bank – it’s about supporting our farmers to be the very best they can be – at work, at home and in the community – and I’m grateful we have so many opportunities to do just that.”