AHDB names new CEO
22nd November 2023
Graham Wilkinson has been appointed CEO of the AHDB after Tim Rycroft announced his resignation earlier this year.
New CEO Graham Wilkinson joins the AHDB from Arla Foods where he worked in global and UK roles, most recently as global vice president.
Graham created a leading European Agriculture Function within Arla, spanning seven markets. He has also worked in the retailer side at Tesco PLC, where he strengthened the sustainability of agriculture supply chains in its dairy, beef, pork and poultry sectors.
Having worked throughout the supply chain for his whole career, agriculture has always been part of Graham’s life, working with his grandparents and parents on the family farm in the north east of England. He is a passionate leader and strong advocate of british food and farming, AHDB says.
Nicholas Saphir, AHDB chair, commented: “We are thrilled to welcome Graham to AHDB with his passion for farming, his impressive leadership skills and vast industry knowledge.
“We believe he is the ideal candidate to lead AHDB into the next exciting phase of our growth, putting levy payers at the heart of our work and maximising the impact of the work we do. Thank you to Arla for supporting a smooth transition.”
Reflecting on his appointment, Graham said: “I am excited to join AHDB, an organisation that I have a deep appreciation for and huge respect for its fantastic team.
“My passion is working with farmers, for farmers and with my experience, I see this as a great opportunity to drive greater impact and success for all levy payers to help create a world class food and farming industry.”
Graham Wilkinson is set to leave Arla in the new year, with the exact timing to be agreed between Arla and AHDB in the coming weeks.
He replaces Tim Rycroft, who announced his resignation in July after two and a half years in the role. He will leave AHDB in December.
