Luke Bowen, chief executive officer of Cattle Australia (CA), has resigned from his position due to health issues. His resignation is effective immediately.
Adam Coffey, a CA Director, has been appointed as the interim CEO, with the CA board currently in the process of finding a permanent successor and will be recruiting in the coming weeks.
In an email to members late Wednesday, CA chair David Foote wrote "the board is sad to see Luke step aside from a role that he wholeheartedly and diligently committed to on behalf of all grass-fed cattle producers across Australia.
"Anyone who knows Luke personally and privately is fully aware of his significant professional abilities as a passionate and talented advocate, who will never stop promoting the virtues of, and defending where necessary, Australia’s beef cattle industry."
Mr Bowen took on the role at Cattle Australia's inaugural CEO on 17 April 2023 following the official launch of the association in December 2022. He had previously worked for the Commonwealth and was CEO of the Northern Territory Cattlemen’s Association (NTCA) from 2008 to 2014.
Per the email, Cattle Australia said it remains focused on addressing pressing industry matters such as sustainability programs, ongoing disease management and market access projects.