Building Executive Leadership for the Department of Primary Industries

The Challenge

The Department of Primary Industries (DPI) plays a vital role in safeguarding and advancing Queensland’s agriculture, fisheries, and biosecurity sectors — industries central to the state’s economy, environment, and communities. With growing challenges such as biosecurity threats, climate variability, global market pressures, and the need for digital and operational transformation, DPI required a sustained uplift in executive leadership capability.

Over the past five years, the Department embarked on a deliberate renewal of its leadership to ensure it could deliver for government, industry, and the community. This involved appointing senior leaders across multiple portfolios, creating depth and breadth at the top levels of the organisation.

 

Our Approach

Luminary partnered with the Department of Primary Industries as a long-term executive search and advisory partner, delivering a staged program of recruitment that aligned to evolving organisational needs. Our work included:

  • Deputy Director-General appointments across Corporate, Fisheries, and Agriculture — each role critical to shaping policy, strategy, and industry partnerships.

  • Chief Biosecurity Officer recruitment, identifying a nationally recognised leader to oversee one of the most critical portfolios for Queensland’s agricultural and environmental future.

  • National Red Imported Fire Ant Program leadership, securing a General Manager to lead one of the country’s most complex and high-stakes eradication programs.

  • Executive Directors (6) and Directors (5) across policy, science, regulation, and corporate services — building strength across the next tier of leadership.

  • Ongoing advisory support, ensuring every appointment was aligned to the Department’s long-term strategy, values, and culture.

 

Throughout this partnership, we combined targeted national and international search with deep sector insight and stakeholder engagement, ensuring that appointments not only met technical requirements but also delivered cultural and leadership impact.

 

The Outcome

Over five years, Luminary successfully delivered:

  • Three Deputy Directors-General leading Corporate, Fisheries, and Agriculture.

  • A Chief Biosecurity Officer with national credibility and technical authority.

  • A General Manager for the National Red Imported Fire Ant Program, driving one of the largest biosecurity initiatives in the country.

  • Six Executive Directors and five Directors, building resilience, succession depth, and leadership capability across the Department.

 

Impact

This sustained program of leadership renewal has had a significant impact on DPI’s ability to deliver for Queensland:

  • Government confidence: Stronger alignment between departmental strategy and government priorities.

  • Industry trust: Enhanced engagement with agriculture, fisheries, and biosecurity stakeholders across Queensland and nationally.

  • Operational excellence: Improved oversight of biosecurity, corporate functions, and frontline programs.

  • Future readiness: A deeper, values-aligned leadership pipeline prepared to manage emerging challenges in agriculture, fisheries, and environmental management.

Over five years, Luminary has supported the Department of Primary Industries through one of the most significant executive leadership renewal programs in Queensland’s public sector. By recruiting across Deputy Director-General, CBO, GM, Executive Director, and Director levels, we have helped build the leadership infrastructure required to deliver outcomes for government, industry, and the Queensland community well into the future.

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