Forico Board welcomes two new Tasmanian directors 

The state’s largest private forest and land asset manager, Forico, has welcomed two highly experienced Tasmanians as its newest non-executive directors.

New Forico Directors Beth Mathison and Tracy Matthews at Forico’s Somerset Nursery. Image credit: Forico

After a nation-wide search process, Tracy Matthews and Beth Mathison (both based in Hobart) have been appointed for a three-year term to the Forico Board, commencing during November 2021. They are both Fellows of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, and each brings decades of experience from private, government and not-for-profit enterprises, both locally and abroad.

Tracy Matthews is a full-time director and governance professional, with more than 20 years’ experience as a non-executive director and more than 30 years’ experience as a chartered accountant. Her other current directorships and committee roles include the Public Trustee, Housing Connect, the Department of State Growth Audit and Risk Committee and Van Diemen’s Band Inc. Public Fund. Previous roles have included non-executive director of TasPorts, Metro Tasmania, and Tasplan Superannuation, Chair of Colony 47 and Commodore of The Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania.

Beth Mathison has served on 14 boards in Australia and the United Kingdom and held senior level positions at several large commercial enterprises over a 40-year career. Her previous engagements include Group CEO (Australia and NZ) and Managing Director of RTSPauaco (trading as True South Seafood), Managing Director of Centaur Business Networks, Chair of St Michael’s Collegiate Board, Chair of the Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens Board, Director Go.Robot Pty Ltd, and non-executive directorships at the National Trust of Australia, Public Trustee, Comstar Systems, HR Workforce International and MS Society of Tasmania. Ms Mathison was the 2015 Telstra Tasmanian Entrepreneur and Business Woman of the Year.

Chair of the Forico Board and Senior Managing Director of investment management company New Forests, Mark Rogers, said they were thrilled to have Ms Matthews and Ms Mathison join the board.

“After a national search, it was fantastic to be able to attract two Tasmanians who are so invested in the state’s economic prosperity and natural values,” Mr Rogers said.

“The breadth and depth of experience they bring from industries outside of forest management will bring new perspectives, and advance Forico’s purpose as the custodians of the natural environment, trusted to make the best use of natural resources for future generations. We see forestry as a key sector in the transition to a sustainable future and look forward to working with our new directors to help achieve this vision.

“I’d like to thank retiring Board member Peter Skellern for more than six years of dedicated service to the Forico Board.”