“The more funds we have at our disposal, the more impact we can make”/
An introduction to GPC CEO Ryan Perkins

What’s been on your desk over your first months at the GPC?

My priority has been to meet as many people as I can in the industry and listen to what they have to say. I can't claim to be a pulse expert yet, so I want to lean on people with that depth of industry experience and knowledge – my colleagues, our board of directors, and all our members. I’ve got some initial thoughts on the strategy for GPC and where we want to go, but I've also got a really open mind and for me it’s about taking the right amount of time to listen and observe, as there’s a lot to take in. I've met as many of our members and board of directors as I can so far!

You’re from Australia but have settled in the UAE. What led you there?

I was actually born in New Zealand and spent my first few years there, but both my parents are Australian and I grew up in Sydney with my two brothers. I had a brief career in Australia, but transitioned into a global role in my mid 20s which led me to the Middle East in 2005 to work on the Doha Asian Games, before moving to Dubai in 2007. I’ve been based here ever since, despite undertaking a number of roles with an international remit. 

How would you describe your professional life until now?

I've been lucky to have had a varied career that’s spanned across multiple industries. In the early part of my career, I was fortunate to gain the experience of performing roles where I was head of department in operations, sales, commercial. This laid the foundation for the breadth of experience required at the Executive management level. I also have been an entrepreneur and ran my own business for a period of 8 years, as well as working with the federal government in the UAE, commercial events agencies, and other non-profit organisations. Event Management has been the one constant, however, and through that I've had the privilege to travel the world working at some iconic events. It's been a lot of fun and has taken me to amazing places, but it's also given me great perspective, particularly with regards to working in different environments and cultures.

Your work in events seems to have had a lot of crossover with the sports world. Are you a sports fan?

Yes, I’m a bit of a sports fanatic. Aside from the Asian Games, I was lucky enough to help organise the Cricket World Cup in the West Indies/Caribbean back in 2007. There were eight host countries and the intricacies of managing matches on the different islands was very complex, but I like to reflect on that time in my life as it was a pretty amazing experience – I couldn't believe I was getting paid to be there!

And what about playing? Any sports you take part in?

Cricket & rugby were my sports in my youth – especially rugby I played to a decent level – but AFL (Australian Rules Football) was also a big part of my upbringing and I got to play a lot of AFL in my 20s – even in the Middle East. That's the sport I'm most passionate about, the professional team I support is the Carlton Blues. I am tragic and we have a 30-year premiership drought. Hopefully this is the year! These days I try to keep active but golf is the main sport I play - it takes less of a toll on the body! 

How do you unwind?

I've got two young kids – a boy who is six and a girl who is four – and being with them does tend to melt away some of the daily stresses and pressures, but I don’t know if I would call it ‘unwinding’! I have lots of calls from different time zones throughout the day in my new role, which can mean I'm up late, but I try to protect some time of the day to spend with my kids no matter what, often to read them a story before bed or just sit and hear about their day. After I've put them to bed, I love to sit down with a book and the occasional glass of wine. 

How do you feel about the road ahead for the GPC?

Super excited! Historically, we've been a very strong association-led organisation that supports industry trade, but we’re increasingly becoming an integral source of data and information in an industry where both those things are scarce. The lack of a quality data center for critical trade/pricing information in pulses has surprised me, and becoming that data source ourselves is something that brings a lot of value to our members. I think it's an attractive proposition of what we can provide going forward. 

How do you see GPC’s role evolving beyond trade and data?

I think what I’m most excited about is the impact work we can do. To do that we need to grow, to increase our revenues and build an operating profit that will help us make a real impact. Of course we’re a non-profit organisation, but the more funds we have at our disposal, the more impact we can make on food security, on climate solutions, and on the evolution of the world's agricultural food chain. 

You helped organise COP28. Tell us what you learned from working on such a high-scale project. 

I headed up the Events Agency that won the event management contract for COP28. It was the largest event contract ever issued in the Middle East so that was something remarkable in itself. We ran the blue zone at COP28, which is the secure zone where all the important meetings and delegations took place. We were involved in the creation of venues, plenary sessions, and all of the logistics involved in the management of the event. Understanding how a COP works was a great experience, and a landmark project for me personally.

What part do you see the GPC playing in future COPs?

From a GPC standpoint, one of our really important objectives is having a presence at COP. It is a mega-event and the pulse industry isn’t going to be front and center of it, but we absolutely have a role to play and we are a cog in the chain of the solution. We have a rightful voice at COP and one of our objectives is to have a seat at the table and share that rightful voice. We are a part of the climate solution, very much so.

What do you see as the GPC’s role in terms of environmental impact?

Clearly humanity's current agricultural habits, especially when coupled with population growth, are not sustainable as things stand. I believe the pulse industry is an integral part of that solution, and we as the GPC have an important role to play. We need to create awareness – to tell the story of the benefits of pulses, not just in the regenerative agricultural space, but also as an important part of the climate change solution. Telling our story can have a positive impact on both the environment and on trade – greater awareness will only lead to greater production and consumption, which ultimately supports the businesses and membership base we are here to serve.

What do you think attendees can expect from Pulses 25 in Singapore?

It's our flagship event in a world-class destination, and if you are any kind of player in pulses, you should be there. A lot of people have already spoken to me about the networking facilitated through our conferences. There's a lot of value in meeting people in person, shaking people’s hands and building relationships, so I'm looking forward to meeting people face-to-face, as conferences like ours are vital for creating an enhanced level of connection.

How is the program shaping up?

The preliminary program gives delegates and attendees a flavor of what to expect. There are some great educational pieces in there that I think people will find fascinating as well as some great panels with well known experts. At the end of the day, it's important for all of us in the industry to get together, because any person or organisation that has success in pulses creates success for others in the industry. It is all interconnected, and we have a role to play in supporting each other and growing together. 

Finally, we have to ask: are there pulses on your menu at home? 

I enjoy an eclectic mix of cuisines, so that includes many dishes that contain pulses. I consider myself as part of the flexitarian movement so pulses are a big part of that diet. I try to moderate my consumption of meat and dairy, not only because it’s more sustainable, but also because I find it’s just better for my energy levels and general health. Unfortunately, I do have a bit of a dilemma at home as my wife is an excellent cook, but she cooks more traditional western foods rather than South Asian ones that don’t contain as many pulses as I would like! But I certainly can’t complain about that – the food she cooks is too good!