Former Tesco director Tom Hind joins AHDB top team

Tom Hind, former agriculture director at Tesco, has been appointed as chief strategy officer at the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB).

Mr Hind is one of three new senior appointments in the levy board’s restructured six-strong leadership team.

He will be responsible for leading strategic planning, developing the market intelligence offering and overseeing the relationship management with AHDB’s sector boards.

See also: Analysis: What will the AHDB levy spending review mean for farmers?

Mr Hind, who was brought up working on his uncle’s cattle farm in Sheffield, left Tesco earlier this year after about 18 months in the role.

Prior to that, he spent 15 years working for the NFU – alongside Sir Peter Kendall, who is now AHDB chairman – in roles including director of corporate affairs and head of economic and international affairs.

Joining Mr Hind in the leadership team will be Richard Laverick, who will be the chief technical officer leading all the R&D and knowledge-exchange work undertaken for the dairy, pork, beef and lamb, horticulture, potato and cereals and oilseeds sectors.

Mr Laverick has been working for AHDB since 2013. Before that worked at Adas, where he held senior positions in both the research and consultancy parts of the business.

Both appointments are effective from 5 October 2015.

In addition, Christine Watts has been appointed as chief communications and market development officer, tasked with leading a more joined-up approach on export and domestic market development work and making AHDB’s advice and information more accessible.

Ms Watts has built a career in marketing and communications for global IT organisations and more recently with the NHS at University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust and then Mid Essex Hospital Services NHS Trust.

She grew up on a Warwickshire livestock farm and is married to an arable farmer growing more than 2,000 acres of cereals and potatoes in Northamptonshire.

Her start date is still to be confirmed.

Jane King, AHDB chief executive, said: “I am delighted to welcome Tom, Richard and Christine. Together they bring a wealth of leadership experience and skills to our new top team, and will work with our staff to create a step change in AHDB activity. Our focus is firmly on delivering value for money, avoiding duplication and working smarter – taking us towards becoming a centre of agricultural excellence for our levy payers.”