In this episode of Behind the Fruit, Lucy Robinson speaks with Kim Chackal, VP of Sales and Marketing and co-owner of Equifruit.

Kim shares how she moved from event planning into fresh produce, and why she chose to channel her career into something with real impact.

They talk about building a Fair Trade banana brand in a category dominated by global players, what it takes to shift retailer behaviour, and how Equifruit’s rebrand changed the trajectory of the business.

The conversation also explores hiring, emotional intelligence, leadership, and why working long hours is not a measure of success.

A thoughtful, honest discussion about purpose, growth, and building a business differently.

In this episode of Behind the Fruit, Lucy Robinson speaks with Patrick Hook, former CEO of AVO America, about leadership across cultures, private equity in agriculture, and why mindset matters more than technical expertise.

Patrick’s career spans forestry, timber private equity, Harvard’s natural resources portfolio, and operational leadership across Chile and Peru. He shares how a solo walk across Italy shaped his career direction, what he learned moving from investment into operating leadership, and how culture and alignment determine whether agricultural assets succeed or struggle.

They discuss:

• Transitioning from private equity to CEO
• Leading when you’re not the technical expert
• Cultural intelligence in global farming operations
• Why ESG is more than a buzzword
• Hiring for mindset in agribusiness
• Building alignment across 60+ employees
• Balancing leadership with nine months of global travel

Patrick’s core message is simple: if you get the people right, everything else follows.

In this episode of Behind the Fruit, Lucy Robinson speaks with John Elliott, Founder of ELR Executive in Sydney, Australia.

With nearly 30 years in executive search across FMCG, fresh produce and food & beverage manufacturing, John shares:

🍏 How executive hiring has evolved over three decades
📦 Why supply chain leadership is now mission-critical in fresh
📊 The commercial shift in founder-led produce businesses
🤝 What separates strong leaders from struggling ones
🧠 Why hiring people better than you is a leadership strength
🤖 How AI is reshaping executive search — and where it won’t replace human judgment

John also reflects on moving from executive search into an $80m FMCG CEO role — and what that experience taught him about leadership, performance, and team building.

This episode is especially relevant for founder-led businesses, commercial leaders in fresh produce, and anyone navigating executive hiring in 2026.

To connect with John:
LinkedIn: John Elliott (ELR Executive)
Website: www.elrexecutive.com.au

The conversation delves into Mark's journey to leadership, his non-traditional route, the role of values, the evolution of his management style, hiring for growth and diversity, traits for senior roles, assessing curiosity in interviews, and deliberate growth of leaders. Key takeaways include the importance of empowering others and the critical role of curiosity and a love of learning in leadership. The conversation delves into the impact of leadership experience, emphasizing the value of people and relationships, resilience in leadership, navigating career trajectories, leadership and adaptability across cultures, leadership beliefs and industry disagreements, the future of leadership in agriculture and sustainability, and advice for the next generation of leaders. Key takeaways include the importance of developing people, resilience, understanding different cultures, prioritizing career trajectory over retention, patience, and scientific understanding of the industry, as well as the traits of seeking first to understand and being curious.



Takeaways

* Leadership is about empowering others and giving away power.
* Curiosity and a love of learning are critical traits for success in leadership. Leadership is about developing people and creating value
* Resilience is essential for navigating constant change and reinvention
* Understanding and adapting to different cultures is crucial for effective leadership
* The trajectory of a person's career is more important than retention
* Effective leaders need to be patient and have a scientific understanding of the industry
* Seeking first to understand and being curious are key traits for the next generation of leaders

The conversation covers Jorge Reig's career transition from finance to the fresh produce industry, his experience as a managing director, strategic and transformational work, managing teams through change, achieving growth in fresh produce, and his desired legacy and advice for future leaders in the industry. Key takeaways include insights into career transitions and leadership skills.



Takeaways

* Career Transition
* Leadership Skills



Chapters

* 00:00 Career Transition and Fresh Produce
* 16:36 Transition to Managing Director
* 36:04 Strategic and Transformational Work
* 41:28 Managing Teams Through Change
* 53:17 Legacy and Advice for Future Leaders

In this episode of Behind the Fruit, Lucy is joined by CarrieAnn Arias for an honest conversation about stepping into leadership at the very top.

CarrieAnn shares her journey from VP to CEO, what that shift really changes day to day, and how her view of leadership has evolved along the way. They talk openly about leading remote teams, building trust and culture when people aren’t in the same room, and what CEOs are actually responsible for once the title changes.

The conversation also explores how leaders think about hiring, team development, and communication in a remote environment, as well as the role mentorship has played in CarrieAnn’s career and why it matters so much in fresh produce.

This episode is a thoughtful look at leadership in practice — not theory — and what it takes to grow teams, people, and yourself as responsibilities change.

Chapters
- 00:00 Building Remote Work Culture
- 28:44 Remote Team Communication and Training with DISC Profiling
- 34:38 Hiring and Team Building Strategies
- 43:19 Recruiting and Talent Acquisition

The conversation covers Ele Gower's journey in the fresh produce industry, her experience in Ethiopia, and her role at One Acre Fund. It delves into the challenges of career progression, understanding good growth, hiring challenges, culture fit, and remote hiring. Ele shares advice for the next generation of leaders in the fresh produce industry, emphasising the importance of passion, leadership, and overcoming challenges.



Takeaways

* Passion for Fresh Produce
* Leadership and Management
* Challenges of Growth



Chapters

* 00:00 Advice for Next Generation Leaders