UK & Ireland Summit: Fuelled by Ambition

Brian Farrell

CEO, Kepak

Brian Farrell is the CEO of Kepak Foods Division, which includes Rustlers and Big Al’s in its branded portfolio. The division is a leading player in the dynamic food-to-go market, with a strong focus on retail and foodservice, delivering innovative and high-quality solutions tailored to meet evolving consumer needs. Since joining Kepak in 2023, Brian has been instrumental in driving growth, innovation, and operational excellence across the Foods Division, while strengthening its position in the competitive food-to-go sector with the recent acquisition of Summit Foods. 

Prior to Kepak, Brian held senior executive roles with Glanbia plc and IBI Corporate Finance. At Glanbia, he was part of the Nutritionals executive leadership team, overseeing global product management and corporate development within the nutrition sector. Earlier in his career, he worked as a director at IBI Corporate Finance, advising clients on mergers and acquisitions, funding, and strategic planning.

A chartered accountant by training, Brian began his career with KPMG. Today, he combines his broad experience in business strategy and leadership to drive the success of Kepak Foods Division in both retail and foodservice markets.

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Katharine Haenelt

Managing Director, OSI UK and of OSI Foods Europe

Katharine is the Managing Director of OSI UK and of OSI Foods Europe. She has responsibility for creating and executing the growth strategy and customer diversification of the international division. She is also tasked with maintaining OSI’s reputation for food safety and quality.
Prior to her role at OSI she was Director of Fresh for Marks and Spencer. In her time with Marks and Spencer she transformed both the instore and online business, delivering an award-winning range, new propositions, and developments of agricultural standards. Delivering consistent commercial success during her tenure.
Other key posts she has held; are on the Operating Board at ABP UK as their Sales and Marketing Director, accountable for Commercial, Category and Brand marketing and Product development. During her eight years at ABP, Katharine held both Commercial and Operational roles including that of General Manager and Business Unit Director at ABP Doncaster. She was the first female General Manager in ABP history, leading the largest site in the ABP Food Group. Katharine has spent her career working in roles across the Meat and Dairy industries.
As well as these roles she has undertaken studies at both Harvard Business School and MIT, been a member of Meat Business Women and continues to support the wider Food industry. Her strong ethical values, passion for strategy and innovation, and investment in talent are key to her success.

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Chris Hall

Chief Operating Officer, Avara Foods

No bio provided

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Jenny Jones

Born in Bristol, Jenny, a talented athlete and gymnast at Downend High school, didn’t even learn to ski until the age of 17.

And having spent a winter in Tignes as a chalet maid, she took up snowboarding, quickly winning everything she entered, included three Winter X Games golds between 2009 and 2010.

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Kirsty Lewis

Founder, School of Facilitation

Kirsty is the Founder of School of Facilitation.  Her passion for designing and delivering workshops that are human-centred led to SOF forming in 2014.  

Happiest when leading groups to uncover and discover their purpose, design their business strategy or connect as a team, Kirsty loves to facilitate.

She also loves to teach others how to excel at being a world class trainer and facilitator and how to design meaningful learning and workshops.

She knows that when you bring like-minded individuals together from the world of training, facilitation and coaching to learn, grow and share – good things happen!  This led to monthly global gatherings, a thriving membership and on-going masterclasses to learn how to facilitate and train.

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Laura Ryan

Founder & Global Chair, Meat Business Women

Laura is a globally recognised expert in building networks and driving transformational change across the agri-food sector. Until 2019, she was Director of the Beef & Lamb Board at the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB). In 2023, she was named in The Grocer’s Power List for her influence in the industry.

Through her consultancy, Lavenpark, Laura empowers businesses to achieve greater success by enhancing industry insight, connectivity, business development, marketing, and communications. She also delivers executive coaching, equipping leaders with the strategies to navigate change and maximise their impact.

Laura is the founder and Global Chair of Meat Business Women, the global professional network for women in the meat industry, which is recognised by the United Nations as a solution to the global Sustainable Development Goals.

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Mr Graham Wilkinson

CEO, Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB)

Graham is an experienced agriculturalist with a deep understanding of best-practice production methods – particularly across the dairy, beef, lamb, pork and poultry sectors. He has gained considerable practical knowledge from his time working on his family farm as well as for Tesco PLC, Arla Foods and now AHDB.

Prior to joining AHDB on 1 March 2024, Graham led the Global Agriculture team at Arla Foods, supporting over 8,500 cooperative farmer owners across seven markets and managing the delivery of innovative commercial milk concepts on farm. During his extensive career at Arla, he worked in both UK and global roles, helping to steer and develop a data-driven, on-farm sustainability agenda, both for specific commercial customers and the wider cooperative.

He has also spent time in the retail sector at Tesco PLC, joining the company in 2011 as Agriculture Manager. During this time, Graham was integral to the implementation of Tesco’s Sustainable Farming Groups within its MFPE category before moving across to the dairy category. Working alongside Tesco’s Sustainable Dairy Group members, he helped develop the company’s agriculture policy and strategy for the dairy category while collaborating with the Commercial and Technical Teams. Graham also developed the Tesco Future Farmer Foundation’, which was established to support new entrants and young farmers to launch their careers in agriculture.

In his role as CEO of the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB), Graham is looking forward to promoting and unleashing the full potential of British farmers and growers for the future and is absolute in the view that British agriculture is among the best in the world.

 

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Elaine Willis

M&S & Ocado Account Director , ABP Linden

Elaine is currently the M&S & Ocado Account Director in ABP Linden, part of the ABP Food Group, which supplies red meat products to major retailers and Food Service businesses.

Elaine Willis has over 25 years of experience in the Agri-Food Processing Industry. She graduated from Loughry College with a BSc Hons Degree in Food Science and Technology.

Her career so far has involved being the Retail Director where she had responsibility for two food processing sites; with a total of 400 employees.

The role encompassed everything from sales and marketing strategy for key retail customers to Operations, Technical, Health and Safety, Planning, Supply Chain and Purchasing, New Product Development and Innovation, People Management, Training and Development. She was also the Head of Innovation and Business Development at Linden Food Group.

With her background and passion for Agriculture, Elaine is currently a member of the CAFRE College Advisory Group (CAFRE CAG) and a Board Member of the Livestock & Meat Commission (LMC).

 

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Amy Witham

Director - Operational Performance, Sofina Foods Europe

My name is Amy Witham and I am currently the Director of Operational Performance at Sofina Foods Europe. I graduated from Newcastle University gaining a B.Sc. (Hons) degree in Mathematics. 

I have since held appointments in a variety of industries and succeeded in various roles before establishing myself in the FMCG environment. As my career progressed I continued to study and became a qualified CIMA accountant. I also became a Mum of two during that journey. 

I acquainted myself with the meat industry over 15 years ago by accepting the role of a Financial Controller, working for ABP.

Further career progression ensued when Danish Crown presented me with the opportunity to become the Finance Director of four primary processing plants. 

Five years ago I made the exciting move into Karro as a Site Director running a full end to end pig processing facility of 1400 employees (kill & butchery to bacon and gammons). The Inspirational business of Sofina then acquired Karro and I am still progressing in my new group role to ensure I am challenging myself every day to improve as a Sofina builder!

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Steph Wood

Managing Director, One Stop Stores Ltd

Steph started her career at Asda, joining the Trading Graduate scheme in 2005.  She spent 6 years there, building experience in various product and buyer roles, before moving to Tesco in 2011.  She has spent the last 13 years in senior executive roles within Tesco, including Category Director, Strategic Sourcing Director and Fresh Food Commercial Director as well as stepping up as Acting Group Chief Commercial Officer in 2022.  In May 2023 Steph was appointed as Managing Director of One Stop Stores Ltd. Steph lives with her husband Nick and her 3 children in Hertfordshire.

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