
Our Scholars
Shannon Harnett
2020 Scholar
Biography
Shannon has experience in dairy, sheep and beef and horticulture, and held senior management and accounting roles before becoming director at Rural Accountants.
She has been involved in several horticultural start-up businesses dealing with PVR varieties. Shannon is a Chartered Accountant and director and co-owner of Rural Accountants, a progressive accounting firm in Whakatane. She is a Chartered Member of the Institute of Directors and holds directorships in several agricultural and amp horticultural businesses.
Growing up on a sheep and beef farm in Hawkes Bay, Shannon’s farming background guided her accounting career by starting straight out of school at a farm accountancy practice. She graduated from Massey University with a BBS, majoring in Accounting and Management, and a Post Graduate Diploma in Agri Commerce.
An advocate of the New Zealand primary industry, Shannon has gained valuable industry knowledge and believes New Zealand has an exciting opportunity to grow high value, consumer driven produce.
Shannon is passionate about New Zealand’s primary sector and plans to research the value Plant Variety Rights (PVRs) could contribute to this sector.
Mat’s report aims to provide a model for generating and capturing ideas to solve the wicked problems of food and agriculture.
The key element to solving this is bringing to bear the focus, passion, practical application and entrepreneurial drive of our farmers and growers. The innovation model needs to put them at the centre and build an innovation consciousness amongst our farmers and growers.
Read the full report >>
Current employment
Rural Accountants
Director
Other Affiliations
NZ Institute 0f Directors
Chartered Member since 2018
Emerging Directors Forum – Tauranga
Member
Whakatane Members Forum
Committee Member

Contact
Region
Opotiki
Industry
Agribusiness
Rural Accountancy
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Education
2014
NZIPIM Leadership Development Forum
2010/2012
Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand (CAANZ)
Chartered Accountant CA
Certificate of Public Practice CPP
2011/2012
Post Graduate Diploma in Agri-Commerce
2008
Massey University Bachelor of Business Studies
Double Major – Accounting and Management
Post Graduate Diploma in Agri-Commerce
Media appearances & public engagements
Scholarships & Awards
Our programmes work in partnership with some of New Zealand’s leading agribusiness organisations – click here for more.




















