AHDB to cut senior jobs to help reduce costs by £7.8m

The AHDB is to make cuts to its senior leadership team as part of the levy board’s plan to reduce operational costs by £7.8m, in the wake of the recent grower votes to end horticulture and potato levies .

Savings of about £6m will be made from the winding down of the horticulture and potato sectors, while a further £1.8m is to be saved from the staff and overheads budget, which includes cutting the number of senior managers from 20 to 14.

A review of the office space at the levy board’s Stoneleigh base could, however, see some cash generated from lettings.

See also: 140 jobs to go at AHDB as activities wound down

Most of the reductions will be in place by March 2022, with the remainder by the following year.

Improve efficiency

The AHDB said the £7.8m cut from the annual staff and overheads budget of £29m are part of plans to help improve efficiency over the next two years.

As part of the restructure, its chief strategy officer, Will Jackson, will take on the role of divisional director – engagement, while interim chief executive officer (CEO)/chief finance and operations officer Ken Boyns will become the AHDB’s new divisional director – services.

AHDB chairman Nicholas Saphir said: “This new structure puts a clear focus on day-to-day delivery across all our knowledge exchange, technical, market intelligence, exports and marketing work.

Levy-payer engagement

“At the same time there will be absolute focus on levy-payer engagement and involvement in planning sector priorities and programmes.

“With our new team now taking shape, this autumn we will be ready to unveil fundamental changes to the way levy payers can have a better say regarding what we provide, including the introduction of regular votes on a wide range of services and delivery.

“The revised senior management team will be in place at the beginning of September, ready for the arrival of the new CEO Tim Rycroft,” said Mr Saphir.

Interim CEO Mr Boyns said: “As part of a further phase of savings in 2022-23, we have identified the opportunity of subletting part of our Stoneleigh HQ.

 “The reduction in work for Potatoes and Horticulture, combined with the past 18 months proving we can deliver effectively without all staff in the office five days a week, means we do not need as much office space.”