Lisbeth Jacobs, chief executive, Gallagher Group animal management division.
What used to feel exceptional now feels like the new normal, says Gallagher Animal Management chief executive Lisbeth Jacobs, reflecting on a challenging year for the cornerstone business of the multi-national Gallagher Group.
Global economic and geopolitical uncertainties and the wildcard of weather make predicting demand more difficult and can have a big impact on customers, Jacobs told the Herald.
How would you describe 2024 for your business?
For the past few years, we’ve started out thinking ‘This will be the year things finally settle down’.”
But 2024 has proven that stability is still elusive. While inflationary pressures have eased, the economic environment in New Zealand and Australia remains tough. Globally, ongoing geopolitical instability continues to create uncertainty and so overall, confidence hasn’t quite returned.
Even so, we’ve been able to navigate these challenges by staying focused on our strategy of innovation and diversification, and we’ve continued to grow and remain profitable. Our geographic expansion into Latin America and Africa has shown real promise and helped offset some of the sluggishness we’re seeing closer to home.
Our eShepherd™ virtual fencing technology has successfully launched into several key markets worldwide, offering farmers innovative tools for sustainable grazing. We’ve made investments and strengthened partnerships with companies such as Goodnature and StrongBó to provide our customers with humane pest control solutions and advanced animal weighing technology respectively. And here in New Zealand, our Gallagher Next brand designs have won awards, which has been a great recognition of our team’s creativity.
It hasn’t been an easy year, but we’ve remained resilient and delivered growth, so I’m happy.
What will be your biggest business challenges in 2025?
The economic climate in Australia and New Zealand is still tough, which will remain a challenge, but there are some encouraging signs.
Buyer confidence is slowly improving... we’re expecting farm spending to gradually pick up, which is a positive shift.
Globally, economic and geopolitical uncertainties continue to pose challenges, often disrupting sales and logistics. Weather is another wildcard. In agriculture, unpredictable weather patterns are part of the job, and they can have a big impact on our customers — and, by extension, on us. Together, these factors make predicting demand more difficult than ever.
What used to feel exceptional now feels like the new normal. To navigate this, we’ve focused heavily on our planning and inventory strategies, as well as on improving forecast accuracy.
We’re undergoing a significant shift from being a hardware business to one that combines hardware with software as a service.
This transformation ... requires new skillsets to develop more connected and software-driven products, a new approach to product development, changes in how we sell, how we charge for our solutions, and how we support our customers. Attracting new talent is critical, but equally important is bringing our entire team along on the journey.
What opportunities do you see in 2025?
Our mission has always been to provide practical solutions that make life easier for our customers. After 86 years in the business, we know what drives farmers because we’ve been walking alongside them for generations.
In 2025, one of the biggest opportunities we see is in connected technology. Farmers are increasingly looking for tools that allow them to manage their land and animals more efficiently. Our virtual fencing solution, eShepherd™, is a great example of this.
In 2024, we opened our office in Brazil, and in 2025, we’re excited to build on that foundation and grow our presence in a region with enormous agricultural potential. At the same time, our large-scale exclusion fencing projects in Africa continue to offer significant opportunities to protect farmland, wildlife and communities.
Another key opportunity lies in supporting farmers as they adopt more sustainable practices. Across the world, there’s a growing focus on soil regeneration, biodiversity, and sustainable farming systems, and our solutions — like improved pasture management and water monitoring — are already helping farmers make meaningful progress in these areas.
What will it take to kickstart New Zealand’s economy?
Reviving the economy means leaning into our strengths while addressing some of the challenges holding us back — especially in the farming and export sectors.
For farmers, still the backbone of our economy, three things are critical.
First, improving global prices for milk and red meat will boost confidence and cash flow across the sector. Second, lowering interest rates will ease financial pressures, freeing up money for investment. And finally, tackling on-farm inflation — soaring costs for essentials like fuel, fertilizer, and feed — would help protect margins and create breathing room to invest in innovation. Farmers need space to plan for the future, not just survive the present.
On the export side, global logistics remain unpredictable. While the Red Sea conflict isn’t causing major disruptions at the moment, ongoing challenges such as industrial action in the United States and Canada, the war in Ukraine and Gaza, geopolitical tensions and lingering pandemic ripple effects are still complicating supply chains.
At the same time, environmental regulations, such as the EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), are adding new layers of complexity and cost. And while a low New Zealand dollar currently gives exporters a competitive edge, fluctuating exchange rates can quickly become a double-edged sword.
At its core, what the New Zealand economy needs is confidence — confidence for farmers to invest, for exporters to innovate, and for all of us to invest in the technologies that will drive a much-needed productivity uplift.
How will a Trump presidency affect the geopolitical dynamics?
Love him or loathe him, Donald Trump’s re-election signals a return to his signature “America First” approach to global trade and foreign policy. This likely means a focus on bilateral deals, tariffs, and a tougher stance on what he sees as unfair practices, especially with China.
For New Zealand, which relies on stable trade relationships, this creates uncertainty. Trump’s unpredictability — renegotiated trade agreements, sudden tariffs, or supply chain disruptions — makes it vital for exporters to stay agile and alert. The intensifying geopolitical tug-of-war between the US and China could also complicate global trade flows, which New Zealand will need to navigate carefully.
It’s not all bad news. A weaker New Zealand dollar relative to the US boosts the competitiveness of our goods, and there may be opportunities to strengthen trade ties with key partners in Latin America, Asia-Pacific and Europe.
What are the concrete actions your company has taken to reduce climate change?
We take a long-term, pragmatic approach to sustainability, focusing on where we can make a real difference through our business activities. Our Sustainability Framework is built around three key areas: Our Economy (sustainable growth, innovation, and trade), Our People (the Gallagher team and wider community), and Our Place (energy efficiency and waste reduction).
Our virtual fencing and pasture management technology enables farmers to manage grazing patterns efficiently, improving soil health, reducing chemical use, protecting waterways, allowing protected wildlife and livestock to cohabitate, and supporting biodiversity.
Water, an essential resource for agriculture, is another focus area — our satellite-connected liquid monitoring systems help farmers manage water sustainably and efficiently.
By partnering with businesses such as Astron and Future Post, we recycle waste plastics into new products used across industries. Additionally, defective plastic items are reprocessed onsite.
We’ve improved our packaging by reducing plastic, cutting down empty space in shipping, and reusing shredded cardboard. These changes have diverted hundreds of kilograms of single-use plastic and packaging waste from landfills each year.
How are you increasing diversity in your business?
We are committed to offering a work environment that values our people and believe that a diverse team where all employees feel valued, respected, and supported regardless of their background or identity is essential to our success as a company.
Our regular communications promote employee recognition and holistic wellbeing through our At Your Best programme, and celebrate cultures and holidays throughout the year.
The Animal Management business has team members across New Zealand, Australia, North and South America, South Africa and Europe, and with a focus on connecting with our customers locally, it’s essential that no matter where they are based in the world our people can collaborate freely and have their say.
I think there is still a bit of a stereotype that agriculture is a male-dominated industry … the Gallagher business shrugs that idea by attracting a really diverse pool of candidates for our available roles. Our entire territory manager team based in Chile is female.
Where are you holidaying this summer?
We’re staying in the southern hemisphere. Normally, we try to spend Christmas in Europe with my family, but two of our daughters are studying in Belgium and will be in the middle of preparing for exams in early January. To avoid distracting them, we decided to stay closer to home.
What would you recommend as a good podcast to listen to over Summer?
I’m more of a reader than a podcast listener. So let me share a book I absolutely loved: The Maniac by Benjamin Labatut. It’s unlike anything I’ve ever read — a fascinating blend of history and fiction. In a time when the nuclear threat looms once more and AI feels omnipresent, this book feels eerily relevant — perfect for a summer read and something to reflect on long after you’ve finished.
BGH's tilt at Tourism Holdings has sparked more merger and acquisition speculation.