We know how important it is to be inspired by both big businesses and individuals, which is why we are excited to present Talking Leaders, a monthly initiative from the AHDB which will see a series of inspirational speakers share their life experiences and deliver impactful stories to the AgriLeader community.

In the October episode of Talking Leaders, we were delighted to be joined by Helen Wyman, Founder of TwoCan Mentor – A food and farming mentorship movement built on connection, development, and impact. 

As a Nuffield Farming Scholar, Helen’s research focused on how mentorship transforms confidence, leadership, and career paths. With a career spanning food, farming, environment, and energy, she’s seen the impact that the right conversation at the right time can have.

Drawing on her experience connecting people across the food, farming and land-based sectors, Helen will share why having the right mentor and being one can make all the difference to both personal & professional success and the resilience of our industry.

We know how important it is to be inspired by both big businesses and individuals, which is why we are excited to present Talking Leaders, a monthly initiative from the AHDB which will see a series of inspirational speakers share their life experiences and deliver impactful stories to the AgriLeader community.

In the September episode of Talking Leaders, we are delighted to be joined by the new AHDB Chair: Emily Norton. Emily is a Norfolk farmer, Nuffield scholar and founder of Farm Foresight Ltd, a strategic advisory service for the rural sector.

She has 25 years of experience in the food and farming sector. After qualifing as a lawyer, Emily undertook an MSc in Sustainable Agriculture. Her career has taken her from family business to global PLC, with time spent in Brussels and across the UK. Emily has particular expertise in natural capital influences on land, food and farming.

Emily holds various non-executive board positions in the agricultural sector including chair of AHDB and a trustee at the Royal Norfolk Agricultural Association. She is a well known media commentator and lives and farms in Norfolk.

We know how important it is to be inspired by both big businesses and individuals, which is why we are excited to present Talking Leaders, a monthly initiative from the AHDB which will see a series of inspirational speakers share their life experiences and deliver impactful stories to the AgriLeader community.

In the August episode of Talking Leaders, we sit down with Ingo and Nina Plöger – two of Brazil’s foremost leaders in agribusiness and global development. Ingo is an entrepreneur, engineer, and economist, and serves as President of the Strategic Council for Latin America and Vice President of the Brazilian Agribusiness Association (ABAG). 

Nina Plöger

Nina is a key influencer in shaping Brazil’s sustainable agricultural sector. She leads women in Agriculture by Forbes Brasil and other institutions. Nina is active in the board of the Brazilian Association of Agribusiness (ABAG) and a leading figure in shaping Brazil’s sustainable agricultural sector. With a background in international relations and public policy, she drives innovation, trade, and environmental responsibility. Nina also contributes to Forbes Brasil, focusing on agribusiness trends, leadership, and the future of food.

As President of Forbes Women in Agriculture, she empowers women in agribusiness, promoting gender equality and leadership. She advocates for bio-competitiveness, strengthening Brazil’s global market position through sustainable practices. Nina’s expertise in international relations plays a key role in advancing Brazil’s agricultural interests in global trade and partnerships. She is also Council in the FIESP COSAG the industrial association of Sao Paulo. In the CEAL Nina coordinate actions for the integration of Latin America under the umbrella of “America without frontiers”

Ingo Plöger

Ingo is a Brazilian entrepreneur, engineer, and economist, and President of the Strategic Council for Latin America advising governments and multinational companies on competitiveness, sustainability, and innovation.

As Vice President of ABAG Agribusiness Association he leads initiatives focused on strategic business growth, institutional relations, and sustainable development within various sectors.

A recognised international speaker, Ingo brings decades of strategic insight into the future of agrifood systems, global trade, and the geopolitical forces shaping business and policy today.

Ingo shares lessons from a lifetime of leadership across continents, offering insights on innovation, resilience, and navigating uncertainty in a fast-changing world, while encouraging imagination and visionary thinking. Nina brings her extensive experience in international relations and agri-food systems, discussing the importance of promoting gender equality, bio-competitiveness, and advancing Brazil’s position in global agribusiness.

This episode dives into leadership, vision, and the power of local actions in a globalised world, demonstrating how leaders like Ingo and Nina inspire change and foster long-term growth.

We know how important it is to be inspired by both big businesses and individuals, which is why we are excited to present Talking Leaders, a monthly initiative from the AHDB which will see a series of inspirational speakers share their life experiences and deliver impactful stories to the AgriLeader community.

In the July episode of Talking Leaders we were joined by Melanie Siggs, Director of Strategic Engagements at the Global Seafood Alliance for a conversation on the synergies between blue food systems, agriculture and forestry, and how they must work together to drive responsible food production.

Melanie holds a number of positions allowing her to work globally across policy, private sector, science and academia. Strategic Engagement Director, Global Seafood Alliance, Chair of Fisheries Innovation & Sustainability, a non-Executive Director of CEFAS (UK HMG Marine Science Agency), Ambassador to the Iceland Ocean Cluster and Honorary Professor at Heriot Watt University. 

We know how important it is to be inspired by both big businesses and individuals, which is why we are excited to present Talking Leaders, a monthly initiative from the AHDB which will see a series of inspirational speakers share their life experiences and deliver impactful stories to the AgriLeader community.

In the May episode of Talking Leaders we were joined by Ben Hirst – founder of Horizon Platforms and a leader who has built his success on lifting others up, quite literally. From starting a national equipment rental business in 2008, Ben scaled Horizon into a respected industry player, before pioneering an employee ownership model that puts people at the heart of performance and long-term value.

Ben’s leadership has been instrumental in achieving record revenues and operational excellence while maintaining a people-first culture. His ethos of building the business for his grandchildren resonates deeply with many family-owned, farming businesses.

Now with a portfolio of Chair and Non-Exec roles, Ben shares what it takes to transition from founder-led to employee-led – covering everything from governance and culture to legacy and motivation.

Open, thoughtful, and values-driven, Ben’s story is full of insight for anyone thinking about succession, scale, or how to keep people at the centre of a growing enterprise.

We know how important it is to be inspired by both big businesses and individuals, which is why we are excited to present Talking Leaders, a monthly initiative from the AHDB which will see a series of inspirational speakers share their life experiences and deliver impactful stories to the AgriLeader community.

In April's episode of Talking Leaders we met Russ McKenzie; a dynamic force in modern farming.

Managing a arable business on the Cambridgeshire / Northamptonshire border, Russ is not just a farmer but a trailblazer in agronomy trials and independent consultancy. As a member of the AHDB Cereals & Oilseeds Sector Council and a 2014 Nuffield Farming Scholar, Russ's journey is a testament to innovation and resilience.

Discover how his passion, influenced by key mentors and personal experiences, drives him to push the boundaries of agricultural excellence. Get inspired by his story of dedication, from overcoming early career doubts to achieving significant milestones in farming.

We know how important it is to be inspired by both big businesses and individuals, which is why we are excited to present Talking Leaders, a monthly initiative from the AHDB which will see a series of inspirational speakers share their life experiences and deliver impactful stories to the AgriLeader community.

In this episode of Talking Leaders we delved into the inspiring journey of Catherine Marriott OAM, a trailblazer in agriculture, leadership, and sustainability. With over 20 years of experience across executive roles, governance, and consultancy, Catherine has a unique ability to bridge the worlds of practical farming, science and global ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) policy.

We explored her insights on the evolving sustainability landscape, the critical role of leadership in agriculture, and her experience with Australian- and global farmers to navigate emerging market and environmental expectations. 

Catherine has worked as an executive, a non-executive director and consulting roles in the agricultural, research and regional development sectors in Australia and internationally. During this time, she has become a proven business leader, communicator and organisational renovator, focused mostly on leadership development, advocacy and delivering innovative solutions for the industries in which she works.

Catherine is currently completing her Nuffield Scholarship with a focus on the impact and influence of global ESG policy on Australian farmers. Understanding the changing ESG and sustainability landscape globally is paramount to ensuring farmers are prepared for changing market options and both public and private sector expectations.

She uses her Rural Science degree to understand the technical aspects of agriculture, while her experience in business, leadership deveopment and governance helps maximise efficiency and outcomes for the organisations for whom she works. Catherine has worked as a beef industry consultant, an entrepreneur, a farmer member based, organisational CEO and has sat on several NFP and public sector boards both in Australia and Internationally.

She received a 2022 Queens Birthday Honors, Order of Australia Medal for contribution to agriculture and rural communities, is UNE’s 2019 Distinguished Alumni Award recipient, a graduate of the Australian Rural Leadership Program, a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, and was the 2012 WA Rural Women of the Year.

Hear how Catherine’s bold thinking, global perspective, and passion for empowering others continue to shape the future of agriculture and rural communities worldwide. It's a great listen!

In the February edition of AHDB Talking Leaders, we were delighted to be joined by Colin Crooks MBE.

Colin is a serial social entrepreneur with a track record of establishing impactful and sustainable social enterprises. Currently he is launching BirdRun©, a novel competition designed to increase interest in wildlife and raise funding for environmental protection. Previously he ran Tree Shepherd which over 10 years supported hundreds of people from low-income backgrounds to start their own business. Before that he founded and operated 5 innovative recycling businesses. One of these, Green-Works was awarded the Queens Award for Enterprise; Sustainable Development.

In 2012 he used his experience of employing more than 1,000 hard to employ people to write ‘How to Make a Million Jobs, a charter for social enterprise’. Colin was awarded an MBE in the 2019 New Year’s Honours list for services to disadvantaged people and the environment. 

As a qualified, accredited coach and experienced facilitator/chair of meetings in community and business settings he also runs Intentionality, which works to create and/or support social enterprises to grow and increase their impact.

We know how important it is to be inspired by both big businesses and individuals, which is why we are excited to present Talking Leaders, a monthly initiative from the AHDB which will see a series of inspirational speakers share their life experiences and deliver impactful stories to the AgriLeader community.

In the January edition of AHDB Talking Leaders, we were excited to explore the topic of “Mental Fitness” with Sheena Horner, delving into how to Push Limits while Finding Balance.

Sheena diversified into chilli farming and through that business she developed a growing network of food and drink businesses throughout Scotland. It is through the chilli growing business that Sheena developed a growing network of food and drink businesses throughout Scotland. She is a firm believer in collaboration and helping one another which led her to setting up Food from Farming, a second business to enable her to do this.

She believes strongly in the locality and seasonality of food and drink, which is founded from her farming background and passion for sustainability and the benefits this brings to local and rural economies. These skills are currently being used in her role as the regional food and drink coordinator in Dumfries and Galloway and the Scottish Manager of the Farming Community Network.

In the summer of 2020 Sheena founded #Run1000, a fundraising event held throughout January highlighting the positive effects that both running and walking have on your mental as well as physical health while raising funds for rural mental health charities. She continues to run and enter events regularly, pushing herself out of her comfort zone and challenging herself.

She is a director of the Oxford Farming Conference, the vice-chair of The Crichton Trust board, a trustee of The Solway Firth Partnership, a graduate of the Scottish Enterprise Rural Leadership Programme and a member of the Dumfries and Galloway Local Employability and Skills Partnership.

Sheena shared insights on how to effectively navigate the New Year, with a particular focus on “Blue Monday” — the third Monday in January, often considered the most depressing day of the year and linked to the January Blues. She explored Mental Fitness, offering strategies to push limits while maintaining balance during this challenging month.

We know how important it is to be inspired by both big businesses and individuals, which is why we are excited to present Talking Leaders, a monthly initiative from the AHDB which will see a series of inspirational speakers share their life experiences and deliver impactful stories to the AgriLeader community.

In the January edition of AHDB Talking Leaders, we were delighted to be joined by Gemma Krasucka, Head of Learning & Development at Leicester City Football Club to discuss “Bring the people with you”.

With a strong background in performance coaching, people development, and cultural change, Gemma’s purpose is to help individuals and teams unlock their full potential. Their career spans 20+ years and has been committed to guiding others to reach their professional goals, promoting self-improvement, and creating successful pathways for talent progression.  

Outside of their professional life, they are an accredited Personal Trainer and performance coach, specialising in athletic development, sports nutrition and mindset.