New farming chief had agriculture, business brewing in background

In October, he was announced the permanent chief executive at Tasmanian Farmers and Graziers. The Boag's man will take up the position in the new year.

Mr Calman's career change hasn't come out of the blue, who has six years boardroom experience with Self Help at Young Town, including half that time as the social enterprise's chair.

"That's been a really big experience I guess," Mr Calman said.

"And then for Lion [Boag's parent company], I've also supported the Tas recycle board, which has had a lot to do with the container refunds Tasmania will be getting in 2024."

Before entering the brewing world, he coupled his degree in food science with agriculture.

"From a young age, family friends had cattle grazing properties in South Australia," he said.

"I've always had a keen interest from the farm through to the value adding food supply chains, like breweries or dairies and different things like that.

"So I guess I've always had an interest beyond the value adding operations that a brewer might do, right back to the growers that might be growing barley or hops in Tasmania and other parts of that industry like fruit, cattle, dairy and different things."

Mr Calman has also honed his business and boardroom acumen with a master of business administration and has graduated from the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

"I think that study sort of opened my mind a little bit more to the broader realms of governance and support and working with different layers of government to achieve outcomes," he said.

"Those not-for-profit boards that I've been involved have been really great learning and proving grounds to thinking more broadly than the maybe traditional brewing experiences that I've got, into how other industries work and the challenges that they have."

Often driving past the TFGA's Launceston office, he said he was "acutely aware" of their presence and what they do to advocate for farmers in the state.

"So when I saw the job advertised, I thought I could really see myself adding value in that role and in being able to grow into it and make a difference for the farmer members that it represents," Mr Calman said.

Bringing a different perspective to the role, he said it would require somebody who was comfortable getting their hands dirty.

Visiting farmers, understanding their issues and putting them at ease to talk openly about challenges in the agricultural industry is on the new CEO's to-do list.

Additionally, his experience working with government and other key stakeholders will be important for the role.

"I think the pathway that I've taken probably sets me up quite well for that," he said.

Challenges facing the agricultural industry constantly changed, he said.

"You really have to be ready and thinking about what are the mechanisms that we can use to try and improve those situations," Mr Calman said.

"But at the same time, it's probably trying to find similarities with other industries as well that might have similar challenges ... it's thinking big picture I guess about how we improve that."

Mr Calman's 16 years at Lion will come to an end in the new year when he heads to TFGA.

"It's sad [to be finishing at Boags]," he said.

"I'll miss their friendship everyday. That'll probably be the hardest part about transitioning.

"But the new role brings new opportunities. So I'm really looking forward to the new challenges and opportunities."