Brett Stevenson, who comes from a pioneer farming family in the Central West of NSW, founded AgRisk Management Pty to provide a range of grain marketing and risk management services to Australian grain growers.

Brett brought a team of expert analysts and advisers together in anticipation of the deregulation of the wheat industry and in 1996 the trading name “Market Check” was established. The company has grown to become Australia’s most highly respected and widely used independent grain marketing program for grain farmers with over 4,000 growers having attended Market Check Seminars and over 1,000 becoming members of Market Check.

Brett has had a long and successful career in agri-commerce. In addition to his role as Managing Director of Market Check, Brett has served as: Chairman of the Sydney Futures Exchange’s Wool Futures Committee; a key member of the Securities Institute of Australia Futures Markets and Trading Training Task Force; a member of the Grain Trade Australia Compliance and Commerce Committee; and a member of the ASX Water Derivatives Market Development Committee.

Prior to establishing AgRisk Management, Brett Stevenson was Head – Group Risk for Wesfarmers Dalgety Ltd, responsible managing price risks for the company’s International Trading Division and Group Treasury. He also developed risk management services for Wesfarmers Dalgety’s wool division.

Brett has also worked as Associate Director, Futures for the Swiss Bank Corporation Australia (now UBS Australia), guiding general management of its Futures Broking division, and, before that as Australian Treasury Representative for Midland Bank (London, UK). He gained a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Newcastle in 1982.

Brett is a regular commentator on issues affecting the Australian grain industry and has featured several times in the press; on TV and radio; and presented at numerous industry events.

On a personal note
Not only is Brett an inspiring leader of the team at Market Check, but colleagues and clients alike are in awe of how well he has coped since being rendered a quadriplegic in 2010. Since his accident, Brett has regained much mobility and focussed on growing the Market Check business into an industry leading firm. Indeed Market Check has grown significantly year on year and was awarded the Australian Small Business Champion award in 2014.

Adding real value
Brett believes Australian commodity producers are ideally positioned to strengthen their positions and reap greater rewards in today’s deregulated marketplace.

“There are tremendous opportunities to help clients plan strategically and ‘work’ the market to their advantage to achieve results that build long-term value in both family and corporate farming enterprises.”