Dr Nigel Barrett Email & Phone Number

Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

FaBA is Australia’s Food and Beverage Accelerator, funded through the federal government's Trailblazer Program. It aims to step-change the Food and Beverage manufacturing sector through value-adding to the clean and green food produced in Australia. It will accelerate the commercialisation of university research, increase engagement with industry and deliver science at ‘start-up speed’. In doing so it will help the sector to amplify its commercial success and reach its global potential.

Hanoi, Vietnam

I worked in Vietnam as a volunteer through the Australian Volunteers Program which is funded by the Australian government. My role at FIRI involved* Work with FIRI technologists to transfer technology to the food processing industry that improves productivity, food safety and provides opportunities for growth.* To work with FIRI management on ways of working which can improve business’ productivity, efficiency and willingness to innovate.• To mentor young technologists on how to carry out industrial R&D and develop strong industry networks.• To assist in organizing small seminars on food technology related topics.• To initiate the development of new relationships between Australian food research agencies, universities and FIRI.I also worked with a start-up social enterprise that sought to improve farmer’s incomes through adding value to rice straw by growing mushrooms rather than burning the straw. I developed a plan for building a quality management system and provided a wide range of product and process improvement opportunities.

Coogee, Nsw

Providing consulting food engineering services to the food industry.

Melbourne, Australia

Reported to the Research, Development, and Quality Director, providing technical leadership for cheese production. This role started in Sydney within Dairy Farmers, a business that was sold to National Foods. The role then moved to Melbourne.• Responsible for new product & process development, • Resolve escalated technical issues.• Identify & deliver value creation opportunities for the business. • Technical support for the commissioning of new equipment. • Building external relationship with key research providers. • Team of 3 food technologists and 1 packaging development manager • Mentoring of technical peers.Major Achievements:• Successful development and launch of 10-40 new cheese products or re-brandings per year.• Delivered the R&D program for Stage 2 of a $250m Cheese site rationalisation project. • Led a yield improvement stream & delivered a well-received plan to drive $4-6 m of benefits• Development of capability to understand the microstructure of dairy products as a key platform for the systematic conversion of cheese ‘art’ to cheese ‘science’.• Rationalised ingredients & suppliers from 40 to 5 for flavoured cheeses.• Delivered $4.0m of value creation for F16• Updated product & process documentation for over 700 SKUs over 2 years to reflect the new manufacturing footprint.• Project managed a +$500K capital project to boost the yield of a dairy ingredients plant.• Designed and commissioned a dairy pilot plant.

Sydney, Australia

Reported to the R&D Manager, managed a program of projects that investigated options for the transport and treatment of effluents from domestic and industrial sources.• Project manage a suite of projects concerning transport and treatment of effluent.• Manage all IP and commercialisation issues.• Set up and manage project contracts. • Director of the CRC for Wastewater Management and Pollution Control.Major Achievements:• Restructured the project portfolio to reflect the corporation’s strategic needs. • Received the “Sydney Water 2004 Award for Innovation Excellence” for Biocrete.• Pioneered the use of strategic risk assessments prior to any measurement of potential hazards that may exist in water or wastewater streams.

Sydney, Australia And Sao Paulo, Brasil

Starting as a Process Engineer in a gelatine factory I was promoted to be site Technical Manager. The site stopped processing raw material and the business embarked on the development of a new gelatine manufacturing site. I was made a Manufacturing Manager to run a transition operation (blending imported gelatine) and, at the same time, I designed the processes for a new gelatine factory. I then spent two years in Brazil before returning to Australia to work in R&D roles that encompassed all ingredient types. I was made redundant when the business was sold.Major Achievements:• Leading the development of a new Gelatine Technology Strategy - Factory 2010.• Design and implementation of a Stage Gate Process incorporating a Lotus Notes based data base management system. • Development a platform technology for suspension of cocoa in chocolate flavoured milk.• Built an extensive external network of research providers.• Increased the yield in the new gelatine factory by 25% by identifying the rate controlling step.• Identified a key structure/function relationship between collagen crosslinks and gelation effectiveness.• Achieved ISO accreditation for Process R&D in Brazil.• Design & implementation of a gelatine pilot plant and analytical laboratory in Brazil.• Operated in Portuguese after 6 months in Brazil from a zero base which helped gain trust & respect at all levels within the Brazilian operation.• Design of a new gelatine factory and laboratories in southern Queensland.• Delivered a 30% improvement in blending productivity through improved scheduling and people management

Bachelor Of Science (B.Sc.), Food Science And Technology

Doctor Of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Chemical Engineering

Mbt