Phillip Osborne

Managing Partner & Member of the BoardSydney, Australia
Areas of Expertise

Agribusiness, FMCG, Food & Ingredients

About

With more than 25 years of C-level experience in both public and private businesses, Phil works with clients across Kincannon & Reed’s Asia-Pacific region in the FMCG, beverage, food and food ingredients, and agribusiness sectors.

Phil began his career at the accounting firm of Peat Marwick Mitchell (now KPMG). He then moved into executive positions with Mount Gambier Cooperative Dairy, Southern Egg, Farm Pride Foods, Evans & Tate, and Gourmet Food Holdings before moving into advisory services where he compiled a record of successfully managing turnaround and recovery efforts on behalf of private equity firms.

Phil holds a Bachelor of Business degree from Deakin University and is a graduate of the Wine Executive Program at the University of California, Davis. He is a member of the Australian Society of Certified Practicing Accountants and the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Recent Placements & Food for Thought

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Mid-Year 2026 APAC Talent Trends and Implications

Insights for navigating an evolving leadership landscape in food and agriculture The leadership challenges facing organisations across the food and agriculture…

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Kincannon & Reed Promotes Caroline Petit to Director, APAC

Kincannon & Reed is pleased to announce the promotion of Caroline Petit to Director, APAC. In her new role, Caroline will…

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The Role of Cross-Functional Experience in Building Executive-Ready Leaders

Organizations invest significant time and resources identifying high-potential talent. Yet one of the most common leadership development challenges isn’t finding capable…

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Why Experience Alone Stops Working at the Enterprise Level

Enterprise leadership is not a continuation of functional success; it is a fundamental shift in how leaders create impact. For much…

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Kincannon & Reed Announces Kelly Griffin as Chief Operating Officer

Kincannon & Reed is pleased to announce the promotion of Kelly Griffin to Chief Operating Officer. In this role, Griffin will…

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What Top Executive Candidates Evaluate Before Joining a Leadership Team

In today’s highly competitive market for executive talent, attracting the right leaders requires more than a compelling role or competitive compensation.…

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The Succession Conversation That Most Family Ag Businesses Leave Too Late

Why succession planning in APAC requires a different leadership approach By K&R Managing Partner Phillip Osborne Succession is the most personal…

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The Leadership Question Behind Australia’s Agricultural Opportunity

Reflections from GAI Australia 2026 By Phillip Osborne, K&R Managing Partner Capital creates opportunity. Leadership is what captures it. That thought…

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Why PE-Backed Ag Companies Keep Getting Leadership Wrong

And the four things the best funds do differently By Phil Osborne, K&R Managing Partner I’ve watched the same failure replay…

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Leadership Market Perspectives: ANZ & Southeast Asia

First Quarter 2026: An analysis of market conditions, leadership demand, and executive talent dynamics across Australia, New Zealand, and Southeast Asia…

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The APAC Expansion Leadership Problem Nobody Talks About

Why market entry success in food & ag depends more on leadership architecture than commercial planning By Phil Osborne, K&R Managing…

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2026 Q1 Talent Trends and Implications across APAC

AN EVOLVING TALENT MARKET The senior leadership market is deeper than many realise, but availability is constraining abundance, and accessibility does…

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Rethinking Resilience: Leadership Signals from The Australian’s Global Food Forum

At this year’s The Australian Global Food Forum, conversations across the agribusiness sector reflected a clear shift in focus: resilience is…

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Sustaining High Performance Through Leadership Alignment

High performance is something to be protected, not taken for granted. Across food and agriculture, many organizations are delivering strong results…

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Kincannon & Reed Welcomes Jon Lowe as Managing Director

Kincannon & Reed, a leading executive search and leadership development firm exclusively serving organizations across the global food and agriculture value…

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From Hype to Impact: Reflections from the APAC Agri-Food Innovation Summit

By Managing Partner Phillip Osborne This year’s APAC Agri-Food Innovation Summit felt energising in a different way. Instead of the usual…

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From Crisis to Clarity: Making Leadership a Strategic Priority in Ag

By Managing Director Aaron Locker | Originally Published by Seed World The leadership conversation in agriculture has shifted. It’s no longer…

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Employee Engagement: Why It Matters More Than Ever for Food & Ag Leaders

Employee engagement is more than a corporate buzzword; it’s a competitive advantage. Engaged employees aren’t just satisfied, they’re emotionally invested in…

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