Our Executive Team draws on their national and international expertise, including extensive work in novel agricultural technology and innovation, research and development, government policy and the commercialisation of scientifically viable patents and business opportunities.
Chief Executive Officer
Dave provides leadership and strategic direction to the development of the Centre in its emerging role, both nationally and internationally. He is a trained engineer, with 26 years’ experience of agri-technology in both the cropping and livestock sectors, encompassing a broad range of technology areas. He has been involved in the R&D of a number of novel and patented developments across the agricultural production sectors. Some of these have been fully commercialised and he has assisted with spin-out and new company formations.
Chief Technical Officer
Trish has an interdisciplinary background in engineering, genetics, and biochemistry. She has worked as a research scientist, sustainability and techno-economic analysis expert, and innovation manager for a number of companies. This diverse skillset allows her to approach agri-tech challenges with a unique perspective.
Trish oversees all technical activity within Agri-EPI Centre, which involves working with project partners, national and international governments, industry, and the agri-tech community to help drive Agri-EPI’s technological vision and strategy. She brings her passion for sustainable innovation to her work as CTO, and has spearheaded a new Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) offering within the company.
Director of Business Development
Rose comes from a proven sales and business development background having worked in both the public and private sector and within a number of different industries over a 14 year period including agriculture, engineering and higher education. She was previously Business Manager for the newly formed School of Sustainable Food and Farming based at Harper Adams University overseeing all business development and partnership activity as well as day to day running of the school.
Rose oversees the Business Development and Marketing & Communications functions within the Agri EPI Centres, driving forward growth and implementation of strategic direction. She has a deep understanding of the importance of science and technology as a key driver in addressing sector related challenges when working towards a more sustainable, efficient and innovative agricultural supply chain.
Ranged through the UK, our Project Management and Technical teams support the set up, coordination and management of a broad range of agri-tech projects.
Liaising with our satellite farm network, they focus on research and development together with commercial trial collaborations, health and safety, and satellite farm activity. Allowing your ideas and ambition to flourish, our team can support you with established systems that can take you from pre-project start up to post project evaluation.
Head of Agri-Tech (Engineering)
Eliot has an extensive background in robotics, sensors and data engineering, with experience working in the academia, defence and automotive sectors. Prior to joining Agri-EPI Centre, he was Lead Software Engineer in autonomous vehicles at Tata Motors UK and developed a fully autonomous vehicle. Other experience includes radar and drone research within the MoD, and robust robotics system development at the University of Birmingham. Eliot’s combination of a family arable farming background and technical experiences give him a keen interest in bringing the best of robotics and data science from other industries into agri-tech. At Agri-EPI Centre he is leading the creation of our new data-based farming testbed along with being the technical adviser for robotics and data-centric projects.
Head of Agri-Tech (Crops)
Claire brings to the role as head of crops her in-depth knowledge and experience of the crop sector, and wide network of connections. Based at Agri-EPI’s Northern Hub in Edinburgh, she works both nationally and internationally and plays an especially important role in expanding the activities of Agri-EPI’s farm network. After graduating from Newcastle University in 2005 with a degree in agriculture, Claire worked on farms in New Zealand before joining Greenvale AP in 2006. It was here that she was introduced to the opportunities within the potato industry. Taking on various roles in procurement, trading, agronomy and factory production, she learnt about the challenges of the cycles in potato production.
Head of Agri-Tech (Mixed)
Coming from a farming background and working on farms form a young age, Ross graduated from SAC Craibstone with an HND in Agriculture and went straight to work on a pedigree Aberdeen Angus farm. He progressed into sales after several years and then into area management and product development with a local manufacturer of quality Livestock Equipment. Working with Technology equipment at development and design stages in an IUK project then led to furthering his career into the job role of Head of Agri-Tech at Agri-EPI Centre.
Head of Agri-Tech (Dairy)
Robert Morrison has dedicated himself to the advancement of technology within the agri-tech sector throughout his career, with a particular focus on bringing tech to market. He served as the product manager at Fullwood Ltd, playing a crucial role in a global team responsible for conceptualising, designing, and introducing automated milking products within the Fullwood Packo Group. As Head of Dairy at Agri-EPI he is able to collaborate with a diverse range of exciting innovators, and work towards developing the next generation of agri-tech products contributing to the global effort of feeding the world, while also striving towards a carbon net zero future. Robert is deeply passionate about leveraging technology to enhance the productivity of farmers and facilitate them to work more sustainably to meet the growing needs of our society.
Head of Delivery
Stephen leads Agri-EPI’s Project Management team, supporting project managers to ensure projects are proceeding according to scope, schedule, budget and quality standards; setting and managing project expectations and delegating deliverables with team members and project partners. He evaluates the success of projects against benchmarking and shares lessons of best practice with consortia and project managers. Stephen leads on large, complex projects where experience and knowledge are required to ensure successful delivery, monitoring tracking and controlling outcomes to resolve issues, conflicts, dependencies and critical path deliverables.
Dairy Technical Manager
Mike Jones has centred his career on sustainable farm management in the dairy sector, including as Farm Manager of Wyndhurst Farm, Langford. Latterly he was precision technical manager at Cogent Breeding, where he was responsible for development and application of precision technology. Mike is based at Agri-EPI’s South West Dairy Development Centre but is responsible for dairy assets UK-wide. He plays a key role in steering Agri-EPI’s technical strategy in the dairy sector, as well as providing technical expertise and guidance in agri-tech R&D projects. He has a passion for dairy farming and in particular cow health and welfare. He brings experience in cow health monitoring technologies, remote management of dairy herds, cow mobility and fertility management, and in the practical deployment and use of agri-tech on dairy farms.
Dairy Project Specialist
Duncan Forbes has great record of experience in the Dairy industry. After several years in practical farming, Duncan moved into farm management consultancy and worked over twenty years as Managing Director at Kingshay. In his role as Head of Dairy for Agri-EPI Centre, based in Somerset, he is focussing on the development of the dairy research and demonstration facility for 180 cows combining robotic milking and feeding in a state-of-the-art building with precision grazing.
Agri-Tech Sustainability Analyst
Born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area, Emily has always been passionate about healthy and sustainable food. This passion carried her through a Biosystems Engineering degree at University of California, Davis and brought her to Edinburgh where she had the opportunity to learn about all aspects of UK farming and food production. As Agri-Tech Sustainability Analyst at Agri-EPI Centre, Emily delivers the sustainability analysis of R&D projects for agricultural clients across the UK and leads Agri-EPI’s sustainability efforts, providing a framework for sustainability within the company.
Project Manager
Project Manager
Project Manager
Project Manager
Project Manager
Project Manager
GIS Data Analyst
GIS Software Engineer
Project Coordinator
R&D Equipment Technician
Graduate Data Analyst
Crop Farms Technician
Agricultural Laboratory Technician
Mixed Farms Technician
With practical farming and agri-tech backgrounds, our dedicated business development team build relationships, liaise and support a wide range of collaborative projects. Working closely with farmers, academics, agri-food, technology companies and our satellite farm network, the team is also involved in UK Innovate funded research partnerships.
Together with our Communications and Marketing team, our Business Development team hosts webinars, workshops and a wide roster of events throughout the year for our broad and expanding membership.
Business Development Manager – Crops & Horticulture
Duncan has a background in practical agriculture and horticulture at farm management level, a spell as an irrigation consultant and selling agricultural machinery onto farms including guidance technology and variable rate. Most recently he has been selling membership to landowners and rural businesses for the CLA (Country Land and Business Association). The business development role draws on this experience, to help build relationships with academics, technology companies and the satellite farm network for future collaborations.
Business Development Manager – Livestock & Aquaculture
Charlie comes from a family mixed sheep and beef farm in South Wales, and graduated from Harper Adams University with a degree in Agriculture in 2015. He then entered the biogas sector, where he worked until 2020 whilst remaining involved with the farm at home. More recently, Charlie worked in forage seed sales, before joining the Agri-EPI Centre.
Head of New Business
Rebecca has a background in consulting in the international agri food supply chain, spanning all sectors but especially dairy, livestock and horticulture. Prior to this she worked in dairy farming and has a degree in Agriculture. Rebecca has a broad understanding of agriculture and food supply chains and looks forward to helping to bring partners together to create innovative projects that will effect positive change to deliver value for farmers, consumers and the supply chain.
Academic Partnerships Manager
Wendy was one of the founders of the AgriTech Industry vertical for Barclays Eagle Labs, where she created and oversaw the delivery of many successful accelerators, events and industry focussed support material and programmes. She helped support much of the UK’s entrepreneurial ecosystem throughout all areas of the food supply chain. Wendy is passionate and highly effective at enabling knowledge transfer, sharing collaboration and growth opportunities with both agri-tech/agri-food innovators and key industry players within the UK.
Membership & Engagement Manager
Paige joined Agri-EPI from the public sector, where she looked after members relating to promoting venues in Staffordshire as a destination for business tourism across the county and on a national scale. Paige has a strong commercial background and was most recently responsible for making City Council attractions and venues more profitable. She has been in a customer facing role for the past eight years and looks forward to delivering on the ‘engagement’ part of the membership role. She will be the point of contact for our Agri-EPI members.
Membership & Engagement Officer
Marta comes from an event and office management background, where her years of experience organising successful medium and large scale events, as well as her involvement in running a family owned digital agency, has proved to be instrumental in making a positive contribution to her role at Agri-EPI. She is also the friendly and professional face of our Midlands Hub based at the reception desk.
Capital Business Case Manager
Hub Operational Manager
Business Development Administrator
Our Marketing and Communications Team support all Agri-EPI Centre activities, projects, collaborations, policy and events with vibrant and accessible print and online media and press.
Informing and engaging our membership, the UK farming sector and the wider public around the latest agri-tech and agri-food innovation, solutions, research and development.
Head of Marketing & Communications
Marketing Manager – Agri-Tech Sustainability
Content & Communications Executive
Press & Policy Manager
Marketing & Communications Assistant
Our Finance, Legal & Investment Team roles include engaging with the investor community on behalf of Agri-EPI to help bring innovative agri-tech businesses together with sources of private capital.
The team is also highly skilled in building consortia, bid funding and understanding the complex mechanisms of public grants, while supporting and coordinating project finance management.
Head of Finance
Grant & Project Finance Manager
Finance Assistant
Head of Procurement & Legal
Contracts Manager
Senior Investment Associate
Investment Advisory Manager
Management Accountant
The glue that sticks us altogether. Our Hub and Office Managers ensure the liaison and smooth running of our UK-wide locations, together with our Human Resources Team and our Information Technology Team that ensure we are as connected, fast and effective as you would expect.
HR Manager
Head of Operations
Executive Assistant / Office Manager
Senior Administrator / PA to CTO
Health & Safety Coordinator
Registered office: Agri-EPI Centre Midlands Agri-Tech Innovation Hub, Poultry Lane, Edgmond Newport, England, TF10 8JZ
Company Reg. Number: 09922991
VAT Number: 240019456 (UK)
