Alumni profile

Ken Waldron is an agricultural scientist and consultant. 

He holds a Bachelor of Agricultural Science from La Trobe, and is a member of the Class of 1977.

Ken has been operating in the commercial sector greater in 40 years and for the bulk of his professional life Ken has been a businessman, entrepreneur, and conflict resolution practitioner. 

The skills Ken developed through his degree were put to the test as soon as he graduated. 

“Once I graduated from university, I moved straight into the corporate sector," Ken said.

"I was in BHP, so that meant there were engineers looking at steel and there were accountants looking at balance sheets. I was an agricultural scientist looking at it with a totally different view. It really worked quite well for me."

After gaining experience in the corporate world, Ken decided to apply that knowledge to his own agricultural business. 

“I developed quite a good specialist practice. By the time I moved to Hong Kong with my wife, we had something like 10 consultants and a number of specialist associates that helped us," he said. 

After spending many years in Asia, Ken has become an advocate for more exchange study. He believes La Trobe students should be experiencing what Asia has to offer.

“I would implore young Western students at [La Trobe] - if they want to engage with Asia - learn the language and engage in the culture," he said.

"The Chinese students who come to La Trobe are engaging in the culture that they want to work with and they take it back and implement to their own advantage in China."

Ken says that La Trobe needs to have a "bold vision" so that graduates have got an edge over their competitors. The University provided that edge to him. 

It took me out of my home and put me into another space. It gave me that intellectual confidence to open doors and look behind them.

In recent years Ken has focused his energies on addressing the climate change challenges facing businesses as they adjust to the climate change imperatives. Ken is aware of an increasing call on climate-based dispute resolution and plays an active role in Mediators Beyond Borders International in Oceania.

Science

Last updated: 18th June 2019