Meet the Team

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Tony Meppem

Chief Executive Officer

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David Meppem

Head of Farming Operations

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Bleddyn Gambold

Sydney based Director

Tony Meppem

Tony is a fifth generation farmer and a beef producer in the Northern Murray Darling Basin region.

Tony has a broad range of interests and experiences in agriculture encompassing operational management, R&D&E and marketing. Natural resource management and its relationship to agriculture is an area in which Tony has specialised. He has held various senior appointments in agriculture including:

  • Senior farmer relationship role with a major ASX listed agricultural company, agricultural produce price negotiation, sales and marketing.
  • Managing large teams and significant built and natural infrastructure in agricultural research, extension and conservation for the State.
  • Former principal of a major private consultancy business focusing on developing solutions to significant  land-use conflict issues.
  • Held a National Leadership position with CSIRO to develop complex strategy paths for sustainable development among multiple organisational coalitions.

Tony has a very good understanding of the full range of aspects required for successful agricultural business. Through his personal experiences and networks Tony is able to bring a broad range of expertise to support a range of investment initiates in agriculture. Tony oversees the day to day operations of FIMA’s agricultural mandates.

Tony has published widely in academic literature and in the popular press, he has an international reputation in developing strategies for sustainable resource and agricultural development and has degrees in:

B. Ag. Ec. University of Sydney 1983.
M. Ag. Sc. International Agricultural Marketing, University of Newcastle upon Tyne, England, 1990.
PhD (Doctorate) Planning for Resource Sustainability, University of New England, Armidale, 1999.

David Meppem

David Meppem has over 25 years’ experience as a farmer and contract farmer. He has successfully grown wheat, irrigated cotton, faba beans, mung beans and sorghum in a range of climatic zones. David has extensive practical knowledge of agricultural technology and marketing techniques gained from a broad range of land, climate and marketing conditions.

David provides FIMA with farming technology oversight.

Bleddyn Gambold

Bleddyn has over 35 years’ experience in financial services.

1982 to 1990: Bank of Bermuda (now part of HSBC) in Bermuda, London and Hong Kong, specialising in Independent Trustee services.                                                                                                                                              1990 to 2002: LGT Asset Management (now part of INVESCO) in Hong Kong and Sydney, specialising in Investment Management services.                                                                                                                                      2003 to 2014: Co-founder, Columbus Investment Services in Sydney, specialising in Independent Responsible Entity and Trustee services.                                                                                                                                                   2003 to Present: Various roles including non-executive director, responsible manager, compliance committee member.                                                                                                                                                                                    2010 to Present: Farmland Investment Management Australia, specialising in Farming Investment.

Bleddyn has a BA (Hons) Degree in Accountancy and is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales.