Announcing Avocados Australia\’s new CEO

Announcing our new CEO: Mr. Milton Bazley

The Board of Avocados Australia Limited (AAL) is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr Milton Bazley as the incoming Chief Executive Officer.

Milton formally commenced with AAL on 5 May 2026, allowing for a transition period alongside outgoing CEO Mr John Tyas, who will remain with us until he retires in the first week of July.

About Milton Bazley

Milton brings more than 30 years of experience across agribusiness, food manufacturing, and global commodity trade. He has held senior leadership roles with organisations including SunRice, where he led international trading and export operations across Asia, the Pacific, Europe and the Middle East, managing large-scale commercial portfolios and complex market access arrangements.

His experience includes developing and executing export strategies, building international partnerships, and working closely with government and industry stakeholders.

If Milton can successfully sell rice into highly competitive markets such as Japan and South Korea, we are excited to see what he can achieve for the Australian avocado industry.

In addition to his professional credentials, Milton is widely regarded within the industry as a collaborative and highly personable leader. We are confident he will work closely with the AAL team to build on the organisation’s strong capability and culture.

This transition period will support a seamless handover, ensuring continuity of leadership and enabling Milton to gain a thorough understanding of the organisation, its stakeholders, and the broader avocado industry.

Thank you and best wishes, John

The Board also wishes to sincerely thank John Tyas for his excellent efforts over the past 14 years. Under his leadership, Avocados Australia has grown from a relatively small organisation into one that supports growers in every way possible. We remain committed to continuing this progress and to further enhancing the value and benefits delivered to our member growers.

We look forward to working with Milton as he leads AAL into its next phase.

Further updates will be provided in due course.

– Avocados Australia Chair, Matt Kleyn

This article appears as part of the 8 May 2026 issue of Guacamole, our e-Newsletter.