Rhys Roberts

Thinking Bigger: How the Zanda McDonald Award Helped Rhys Lead Beyond the Farm Gate When Rhys received the Zanda McDonald Award, he was already building an ambitious farming business. As CEO of Align Farms in Mid-Canterbury, he was leading a growing operation spanning multiple farms, thousands of dairy cows and an expanding team. But while the business was scaling rapidly, Rhys was asking even bigger questions. "How do we build the kind of business we really want to be? What does great leadership look like? And am I the leader the business needs for what's next?" The Zanda McDonald Award helped answer those questions. For Rhys, the greatest value of the programme wasn't a single farm visit or keynote speaker—it was the calibre of the people around him. "The quality of the conversations was exceptional. Spending time with other finalists, mentors and industry leaders operating at a different scale challenged my assumptions and raised my benchmark for what was possible." Those conversations sparked a shift in confidence. "I realised the way I was thinking about farming and business was recognised well beyond my own backyard. That recalibrated what I thought I was capable of and gave me the confidence to back my instincts much harder." One lesson, in particular, has shaped Align Farms ever since. "The best businesses we visited invested in their people systems just as seriously as any other input. We came home determined to do the same." That focus on culture, leadership and attracting outstanding people to rural communities has become a defining feature of Align's success. Since winning the Award, both Rhys and the business have evolved significantly. Today, Align Farms operates ten farms, milks around 5,000 cows and has expanded beyond farming into a vertically integrated food business with its own processing capability and consumer brands. Among its milestones is the launch of Re, New Zealand's first regeneratively farmed dairy brand, reflecting the company's willingness to challenge conventional thinking and create value throughout the supply chain. Rhys believes the Award accelerated more than business growth—it accelerated his leadership. "It pushed me from being an operator to becoming an industry leader earlier than I would have otherwise. I became more willing to step into governance, public speaking and broader conversations about the future of agriculture." The Award also opened doors that may otherwise have taken years to unlock. "Speaking invitations, governance opportunities and industry relationships came much sooner. The Award creates a credibility shortcut. People know what it stands for." That credibility has been evident not only in industry partnerships, but also in attracting talented people to the business and building trust across the sector. Today, Rhys serves on the Zanda McDonald Award Board, helping guide the very programme that influenced his own career. "Joining the Board is my way of giving back. I want to help ensure the Award continues to identify and develop the next generation of agricultural leaders." He sees mentoring as an important part of that responsibility. "The Award gives you a platform, and I think that comes with an obligation to use it. I've enjoyed supporting emerging leaders as they navigate business growth, leadership and career decisions, and I'd like to do even more." The network built through the Award remains one of its greatest strengths. "The alumni are some of the best operators across Australasian agriculture. They're people I continue to learn from, challenge ideas with and have honest conversations about where farming is heading." Looking back, Rhys believes the greatest legacy of the Award has been the confidence to think differently. "It reinforced that ambitious, unconventional thinking in agriculture is worth backing. That's been quietly important in every major decision I've made since." He also believes programmes like the Zanda McDonald Award are essential for agriculture's future. "Our industry needs leaders who think boldly, operate commercially and are prepared to challenge the status quo. Zanda is one of the few programmes actively investing in finding and accelerating those people." His message to the Award's sponsors reflects that belief. "This programme changes careers. Your investment doesn't just benefit one winner—it creates a ripple effect through every business they build, every person they mentor and every decision they make. It's one of the highest-impact investments you can make in the future of agriculture."