Barry is a former Primary Industries and Resource South Australia (PIRSA) Executive Director responsible for Agriculture, Fisheries and Aquaculture programs and related regulatory and emergency management services. He retired from full time work with PIRSA in 2004 and has since taken on roles with the CRC for National Plant Biosecurity, Australian Fisheries Management Authority, Horticulture Australia Limited, Adelaide and Mount Lofty Ranges Natural Resources Management Board, and the South Australian Department of Families and Communities.

Barry's began his career at the University of Adelaide with a focus on horticultural science, plant pathology and entomology and joined the Department of Agriculture as a research officer in horticulture. Management roles started after working in India on an Australian International Development Assistance Bureau project in the 1980s. Management positions started with horticulture research and policy in the 1980s and progressed to executive leadership of the state's Agriculture Food and Fisheries programs for a decade or so until retirement.

In various executive positions, Barry had responsibility for most of the state's primary industry regulatory services covering animal and plant health, viticulture, food, fisheries and aquaculture planning and compliance with much of this relating to State and industry biosecurity. In past positions Barry has been a member of Primary Industries Standing Committee biosecurity committees, Plant Health Committee and Chief Inspector for plant quarantine.

Currently, Barry is chairing several committees as well as being Deputy Chair of the CRCNPB. These are the Great Australian Bight Trawl Fishery Management Advisory committee for the Australian Fisheries Management Authority, the Working Group on Horticulture Market Access for Horticulture Australia Limited, Central Hills Water Allocation Advisory Committee, Adelaide and Mount Lofty Ranges Natural Resource Management Board and is a member of other community and Natural Resource Management groups.

Barry lives in the Adelaide Hills and enjoys working on his property, time with grandchildren and river boating on the Murray.