Andrew McConville

Andrew McConville is the Chief Executive of the Murray Darling Basin Authority. The MDBA is an independent expertise-based statutory agency responsible for planning the Basin's water resources, with planning decisions made in the interest of the Basin as a whole. Prior to joining the MDBA, Andrew was Chief Executive at the Australian Petroleum Production & Exploration Association - the peak industry body for the upstream oil and gas industry. Under his tenure APPEA strengthened its reputation as the voice of the Australian oil and gas industry through a period of enormous change. Andrew was responsible for integrating APPEA’s approach to advocacy, thought leadership and engagement. Prior to his three year tenure at APPEA Andrew worked for more than a decade with Syngenta, one of the world's leading agribusinesses. His last role was as Global Head of External Affairs and Communication based in Basel Switzerland and before that he held senior regional roles as Head of Corporate Affairs for Europe, Africa and the Middle East and as Head of Corporate Affairs for the Asia Pacific Region. Before joining Syngenta in 2008 Andrew ran his own agribusiness public relations consultancy for almost 5 years and also worked as Head of Corporate Affairs for Business at the National Australia Bank. Early in his career Andrew held various public relations and commercial leadership roles at the Australian Wheat Board and worked for 4 years as a policy advisor for the Victorian Government. Andrew holds a first class honours degree in Agricultural Economics from the University of New England and a Master of Science in Agricultural Economics from Oxford University. Before the opportunity of post-graduate study at Oxford, Andrew was undertaking a graduate law degree at the University of New South Wales. In addition to world class academic credentials Andrew was a distinguished sportsman at school, club and university levels being awarded Best and Fairest and Clubman of the Year for the Oxford University Rugby Football Club in 1993, winning two rugby premierships with the University of New South Wales and captaining Melbourne Rugby Club. He was awarded a Half Blue and Full Blue for rugby at the University of New England where he captained the Robb College 1st XV for a record four years. Andrew is a father of four, reads widely, runs regularly and rides (motorbikes) not enough.