The appointments were the first of more than 60 regionally-based leadership roles that were planned to be announced in the next few weeks.

Elders managing director Mike Guerin said the restructure in Victoria was part of a long-term plan to put leadership roles and decision making closer to clients.

Mr Guerin said while Elders had lost some staff over the past few days this was a “little hic-cough” and that Elders was “still the biggest stock agency in Victoria and we intend to stay that way”.

Mr Guerin said the three new regional managers in southern Australian included Justin Gummer who had more than a decade’s experience with Elders, most recently as Victorian commercial manager.

Meanwhile Peter FitzGerald was coming home to Victoria after several years managing the Elders team in Tasmania and Alan Sundblom, Wodonga, a longstanding Elders team member, would be taking up the new roles.