The overall strategic direction and ongoing business & activities of the Regional Circularity Co-operative, including the Bega Circular Valley Program, are overseen by a Board of Directors.
Chaired by Barry Irvin, the Board is structured in a way that provides a breadth of input and guidance to the staff of the Co-operative, whilst also ensuring clear governance of all current and future operations.
The Board is currently made up of four Directors and a company secretary.
Barry Irvin AM, RCC Chairman
Executive Chairman, Bega Group & Chairman Giant Steps Australia
Barry was instrumental in the creation of the RCC in 2021.
The Executive Chairman of the Bega Group has extensive experience in agriculture and food production and a clear understanding of the issues affecting regional communities, Australian farming and food manufacture.
He founded the RCC having seen the clear socio-economic opportunity the circular economy offers, underpinned by a desire to leave a legacy for future generations of the Bega Valley.
Karin van Selm, Director
Regional Head & CEO Wholesale Europe, Africa & Asia, Rabobank
Karin has over 20 years’ experience in the financial services industry across a variety of customer facing and leadership roles; she joined Rabobank in 2016.
She has a strong belief in the power of cooperative banking and advocates for collaborative efforts as the most effective means of driving transformative change.
Currently working out of Utrecht in the Netherlands, she was based in Australia when the RCC was originally created and has been involved ever since.
Melissa Balas, Director
Senior Environment & Sustainability Officer, Bega Group
Melissa has been with the Bega Group in a variety of roles since 2009.
She was one of the original project leads of the successful Bega Environmental Management Systems (BEMS) that helped the local dairy industry start out on its ongoing circularity journey and has been closely involved with the RCC in various capacities ever since.
She is currently developing and coordinating the implementation of the Bega Group on-farm sustainability program, Better Farms, which is focused on supporting on-farm transition to circularity, including emissions reduction, across their milk supply base.
Rob de Fegely AM, Director
Forester and Farmer at Lochiel, Director Forestry Corp. NSW &
Chair Sustainable Timber Tasmania
Rob is a local Farmer and Registered Professional Forester and has worked in Australian forestry for over 40 years.
He has worked on projects in all states of Australia and overseas and held several Board and advisory positions during that time. He is currently an independent Director of both Sustainable Timber Tasmania and the Forestry Corporation of NSW.
Laura Hartley, Secretary
Corporate and Commercial Law Partner at Addisons
Laura has over 25 years’ experience providing legal advice to major global and Australian brands like The Coca-Cola Company, Bega Cheese Ltd and Colgate-Palmolive. Laura has a unique mix of expertise in both mergers and acquisitions (M&A) and competition and consumer law issues. As an auditor approved by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), she can assist clients with compliance issues or undertakings.
She has experience with a wide variety of not-for-profit organisations, including as a former Board member and Chair of KU Children’s Services.
She joined the RCC Board as Company Secretary in 2024.
Further details about how the RCC operates, including how Board Directors are appointed, can be found in the Rules of the Co-operative.