It’s not really a surprise that Ken Warriner is set to leave Consolidated Pastoral Company (CPC) because it was likely sooner or later. However it is a big surprise to hear today that Ken’s son Geoff, CPC Chief Operating Officer, is also set to leave the company – and in less than 4 week’s time.
Ken is retiring as CPC Chairman in August, after scaling back his workload for health reasons last year. He retired from the position of Chief Executive Officer in August 2011 and was succeeded by Mark Irwin.
Geoff (Yap) Warriner has worked for CPC for nearly 30 years and has been based on Carlton Hill Station (north of Kununurra, WA) since 1993. Geoff is leaving CPC at the end of July and it will be interesting to see who is appointed as the new CPC Chief Operating Officer. And it will be interesting to see how long Terra Firma retain ownership of CPC. With few exceptions, overseas investment companies seem to retain Australian cattle station investments for less than five years, so it will be very surprising if Terra Firma have not sold their majority share in Consolidated Pastoral Company within a couple of years. It’d be tough to find a buyer for the whole CPC portfolio of 19 properties covering 5.8 million hectares, running more than 363,000 cattle.
Ken’s other sons grew up in the bush and have worked for Consolidated Pastoral Company in various roles on various cattle stations in Queensland, the Northern Territory and Western Australia. David Warriner spent 15 years working for CPC and is now President of the Northern Territory Cattleman’s Association and General Manager of the Alan Myers-owned Tipperary Group (NT). Jock Warriner has been manager of Queensland Channel Country station Nockatunga, then Far North Queensland’s Wrotham Park station, in recent years. Sam Warriner is now a commercial lawyer in Brisbane, but spent several years working on Newcastle Waters. Tom is currently studying business, after competing in ‘Amazing Race Australia’ and working on Newcastle Waters, Carlton Hill and Argyle stations.
Ken Warriner will apparently retain his share in CPC (around 10%?). It will also be interesting to see what’s on the cards for the Warriner family, because undoubtedly there’s something on the drawing board.
Consolidated Pastoral Company stations are included in the books ‘A Million Acre Masterpiece’ & ‘Life as an Australian Horseman’
Tags: Australian cattle stations, Australian Beef Industry, Pastoral companies, Rural properties for sale and ownership