Building commercial acumen through study opportunities with agribusiness alumni Chris Moloney

With extensive experience in farm operations, and previous roles as an agricultural services analyst and graduate agronomist, Chris Moloney was no stranger to the agricultural industry. Driven to increase his knowledge of the business aspects of agricultural industry, Chris looked to the University of Adelaide, specifically the Master of Agribusiness, to further develop key management skills in the industry he loved.  

“I chose to study the Master of Agribusiness degree to gain a better understanding of domestic and global agricultural industries and the role South Australian grain can potentially play in the future.”

The flexibility offered by the Master of Agribusiness Program allowed Chris to tailor his coursework to his interests in agriculture, as well as expose him to a wide range of industry contacts.

“Experiences and Insights in Agri-food Systems was a highlight of the course. The contacts and resources leveraged by the University in the local agribusiness sector provided great insight, directly from the CEO's, into the mechanics of some of the most successful businesses in the state.”

But what has really helped shape Chris into the professional he is today, was the range of management-based courses including Cross-cultural Management, and People and Organisations. These courses helped develop key soft skills, which would be applicable to a wide range of industries outside of agriculture.

“I found the learnings from these courses invaluable when trying to better understand and engage with industry as a whole. The practical approach offered proven strategies that could be employed instantly in our personal work environment.”

As part of his studies Chris was lucky enough to represent the University at the International Food and Agribusiness Management Association Conference (IFAMA) in 2019. Hosted in Hangzhou China, Chris was part of a small group of GFAR students who participated in a case study competition, preparing a 15-minute presentation over a four-hour window on a trending agri-food issue. Whilst the team did not place, they greatly enjoyed the process and were able to experience a number of thought-provoking talks whilst attending the conference. 

“The conference was an exceptional experience which provided exposure to presentations related to the latest biotechnology opportunities as well as other important current affairs such as global food security".

The location of the conference in itself was an enlightening venture as Hangzhou is the home of Alibaba and technology development in China.”

Graduating in 2020, Chris has adapted his learnings and applied them to his current role as Business Manager for Moloney Agribusiness, a position he has held for the past 3 years. When reflecting on his studies, Chris says this of his degree:

“For people who want to push boundaries and make change, the Master of Agribusiness degree offers the confidence and support to pursue your goals.”

If you are interested in pushing your boundaries and building your business and commercial acumen in agriculture, consider undertaking further studies in agribusiness.

For more information, please visit our Master of Agribusiness website.