About Us.
We gained our knowledge and experience working for some of the world’s leading industrial forestry companies and TIMOs. Today, we leverage our expertise to offer reliable guidance, partnering with our clients to drive exceptional performance from their forest industry investments.
Our team first crossed paths while working together at Carter Holt Harvey, then Australasia’s largest integrated industrial forestry company. We went on to hold senior management positions at various companies responsible for international timberland investments in Asia, the US South, Australia, and New Zealand.
From operations and resource planning to investment management and strategy, our experience spans the entire forest value chain. This deep and diverse background allows us to provide expert advice and rapidly deploy practical and meaningful solutions in partnership with our valued clients.
John Eckford
Founding Partner
John is valued by clients for his ability to deliver valuable insights and provide transparent solutions to complex business problems.
He has a background in forest planning and financial modeling, including the development of specialised tools and processes to improve forest asset modeling and valuation. His unique combination of analytical capability and commercial perspective allows him to quickly identify and execute strategies that drive performance improvement.
Prior to co-founding Forest Alpha, John worked for industry-leading companies in New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States including Resource Management Service (RMS), New Forests, and Carter Holt Harvey for over 20 years.
John is a Registered Member of the New Zealand Institute of Forestry and holds a Bachelor of Forestry Science (Hons, 1st Class) and a Bachelor of Commerce (Management and Marketing) from the University of Canterbury.
Conrad Keast
Founding Partner
Conrad is a strategic thinker, with a reputation for delivering value for clients through fact-based, thoughtful, and innovative management solutions.
His broad background covering investment management, operational management, information technology, and resource planning allows Conrad to identify strategies to improve overall performance and reduce business risk.
Prior to co-founding Forest Alpha, Conrad spent 12 years as Regional Manager of Australasia Operations and Investment Manager for Resource Management Service. He also previously managed an operating region and held senior management roles leading Carter Holt Harvey’s forest engineering, resource planning, and environmental functions.
Conrad holds a Bachelor of Social Science (Earth Science and Human Geography) and a Master of Social Science (Hons) (Geography) from Waikato University.
Fred Schipper
Senior Consultant
Fred is a highly respected professional in the New Zealand forest industry, well-known for his expertise in forest description, resource planning, and growth and yield modelling.
He has a deep technical understanding of biometrics and the science behind modelling tree growth, combined with a practical perspective developed from his decades of experience in commercial forest management. He always brings a unique perspective to a discussion and is a highly valued and appreciated member of the team.
Prior to joining Forest Alpha, Fred worked in resource planning positions for over 20 years at Timberlands and Carter Holt Harvey, managers of the two largest plantation forest estates in New Zealand.
Fred is a member of the New Zealand Institute of Forestry and holds a Bachelor of Forestry Science (Hons, 1st Class) from the University of Canterbury and a Graduate Diploma in Applied Statistics from Massey University.
Let’s go.
Get in touch. Find out how we can support your timberland investment goals.