Our People
The SVM team has many years of experience working with plant breeders in both New Zealand and China. Backed by a strong governance team and the support of our amazing bilingual staff in China, SVM has the systems to protect and successfully commercialise new material.
Management
Rex Graham, Chairman
Rex Graham has been involved in the horticultural industry for more than 40 years in nursery, production, post-harvest and marketing in New Zealand and Australia. During this time, he was involved in some of the largest pip and stone fruit developments in those regions. His company RGA was responsible for the procurement of all Heinz Wattie fruit crops. He is a past Director of Hort. Research (now Plant & Food NZ Ltd) and has held various national roles in the fruit industry. Rex was the Chairman for Hawke's Bay Regional Council for 5 years. He is currently a director of several IP management companies operating in New Zealand, including Graham Greene Ltd.
John Morton, Managing Director
John Morton is the Managing Director of Shennong Variety Management (SVM). Mr Morton has managed fruit intellectual property companies for over twenty-five years in New Zealand and as part of the international fruit industry. Mr Morton is an executive Director of AIGN involved in the management and operation of the AIGN business. John Morton, is a world renowned expert on new fruit varieties and plant intellectual property rights. John travels extensively to search for and review the best plant material available around the world.
Mau Wah Liu, Director
Mau Wah Liu has more than 30 years of extensive experience in the produce industry and enterprise management. In 1998, he founded Golden Wing Mau Enterprise Development Co., Ltd, and established Golden Wing Mau Agricultural Produce Corporation in 2003, and he became a member of the board of T&G Global Ltd in 2017. Mr Liu has won numerous honours. In 2009, he received the Outstanding Contribution Award – Special Edition of The 60 Anniversary of the founding of PRC and he won the same award again in 2014. In 2011, he received a commendation of “A Beacon of hope” from the international Lions Clubs and has also been awarded “Outstanding Contribution” and “the Distinguished Member” awards consecutively from 2006-2016. In 2016, he received the China Fruit Marketing Association Award “Person of the Year”.
Kerry Sixtus, Director
Kerry Sixtus owned and operated a fruit tree nursery based in Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand for nearly forty years. He has had a very long business association with both John Morton and Rex Graham. Many years ago he purchased their fruit tree nursery. In 1996 they set up a company together to acquire, import, distribute and manage fruit cultivars for New Zealand; the New Zealand Fruit Tree Company, (NZFTC). After selling his nursery Kerry is now involved in Natural New Zealand Honey in Canterbury. Kerry bought into Shennong Variety Management in 2019.
Team
Julie Greene
Julie Greene in addition to being a shareholder through the Fresh New Zealand Limited stake, provides strategic advice to the company. Julie brings twenty-five years of horticultural experience in a variety of roles including export and domestic sales, logistics, IP protection and administration. Ms Greene has an Honours degree in Horticulture Science and post graduate diploma in Business Administration. Julie was the Agricultural Manager for Heinz Watties, New Zealand. Julie is a member of the New Zealand Institute of Directors.
Chang Liang
Chang Liang is the General Manager based in Shenzhen and is in charge of the day-to-day operations of China business for SVM on the importation, assessment, and promotion of new plant varieties. She has vast experience of IP protection and variety development of fruit varieties in China. After obtaining her master’s degree in Agriculture from the University of Copenhagen, Chang worked as the plant breeder and laboratory specialist in a Danish flower nursery. Chang is bilingual
Ming Yan
Ming Yan is our Marketing Manager and manages promotions, trademarks and administration based in the Shenzhen office. Ming has a Bachelor of Marketing from Wuhan University of Science and Technology and a Master of Company Administration from Université de Poitiers in France. Ming is fluent in Mandarin, French and English.
Yupeng Chi
Yupeng Chi is our Technical Manager based in Rizhao, at the Salver Nursery. His role is to liase with the Salver staff and manage the variety hub, test trees, and the quarantine trees. Yupeng collects and reports the evaluation data and manages tree propagation in the budwood repository for our material. Yupeng has a bachelor of Horticulture from Qingdao Agriculture University. Yupeng is bilingual.
Nina Wang
Nina Wang is a Horticultural specialist with extensive experience in fruit tree nursery and orchard practice. She has a master’s degree in Plant Pathology from China Agricultural University, and is in charge of the assessments and DUS testing of new varieties for SVM into China. Ms Wang works remotely part time. Nina is bilingual.
Junbo Shan
Junbo Shan is our technical support assistant based in Rizhao. Junbo has a bachelor’s degree in Garden Management from Shandong Agricultural University. Junbo works with Yupeng Chi to support the evaluation of new varieties and manage our Variety Hub. He will also collect critical data for the DUS test work. Junbo is bilingual.