AHDB CEO Graham Wilkinson will step down from the function of CEO to hitch Sofina Meals as group agriculture director later this yr
Mr Wilkinson, who joined AHDB in March 2024, will go away his publish in the direction of the top of 2025. His departure after simply over a yr within the function means it’s all change on the high of AHDB, with the approaching departure of chair Nicholas Saphir.
On Wednesday, it was introduced that Emily Norton can be changing Mr Saphir as the brand new chair of AHDB from June 1 in a three-year appointment.
Talking about his departure, Mr Wilkinson stated: “I’m extraordinarily happy with the workforce and what we now have achieved collectively on behalf of levy payers. The organisation is energised with a brand new imaginative and prescient and technique that’s laser targeted on delivering worth.
“Since becoming a member of AHDB we now have launched a groundbreaking Baselining mission which can deliver readability to the function that our trade performs in benefiting the setting. We now have additionally seen one other very sturdy yr for Exports and have ramped up our Advertising and marketing to advertise crimson meat and dairy to the subsequent technology.
“I’m happy with what we now have achieved in selling and defending the fame of our trade and championing levy payers.
“Emily Norton can have my full assist over the approaching months in her new function as Chair of AHDB and I stay totally dedicated till I go away in the direction of the top of the yr. For now, it’s enterprise as ordinary. My Management Staff and I’ll proceed to ship the bold plans that we now have set out for levy payers.”
Mr Saphir stated: “While the Board and I are naturally dissatisfied that Graham might be leaving AHDB, it’s clear the organisation is effectively positioned to proceed delivering actual profit for levy payers.
“Graham has pushed vital and useful progress inside AHDB, serving to to ship for its levy payers at a time of serious change for our trade. With the arrival of Emily Norton as the brand new Chair, and a powerful management workforce in place, AHDB will proceed the momentum that it has constructed while a successor is sought.”
Shock
Reacting to the announcement, the Affiliation of Impartial Meat Suppliers stated: “At the moment’s announcement has come as a shock to all at AIMS.
“Throughout Graham’s quick tenure we discovered him to extremely approachable and keen to tackle board our processor levy payers views. AHDB capabilities greatest when it has a CEO that actually leads.
“The standard of the work and assist given to AIMS during the last couple of years has demonstrated to us what a well-motivated workforce Graham has constructed, and we thank him for his arduous work and we want him the easiest of luck for his subsequent problem.”
