UK Agri-Tech Centre
Chief Executive Officer
Location – York, London or Bristol
Our Client
The UK Agri-Tech Centre (UKATC) is an independent business, supported by Innovate UK, providing a combination of pioneering research and innovation facilities and agri-tech expertise to industry that supports innovation and economic growth. Their role is to work with businesses to drive progression and long-term investment in agri-tech.
UKATC help de-risk and scale agri-tech innovation by providing tools, expertise, and test facilities; accelerating adoption through trials on their farm network; fostering collaboration across innovators, industry, and investors; and delivering measurable impact in sustainability, productivity, profitability, and resilience.
They are now seeking a Chief Executive Officer (CEO) to lead and deliver the new strategy and play a key role in shaping the future of the organisation.
The Opportunity
Reporting to the Board, the CEO will be critical in developing UK Agri-Tech Centre’s shared culture, identity and vision. This individual will be tasked with delivering the 5-year strategy, agreed with the Board, Innovate UK, Government and key stakeholders.
UKATC now needs a commercially minded CEO who can turn vision into delivery. This leader will shape the narrative around agri-tech’s role in addressing food security, sustainability, and innovation—ensuring the Centre becomes recognised as a true commercial partner both nationally and internationally. With a clear remit to deliver real-world outcomes including adoption of new technologies and scaling up of technology to benefit UK agriculture and the economy. This role offers the chance to lead and nurture an experienced team into a more focused, collaborative, and ambitious future.
This is a unique platform to drive commerciality and leave a lasting mark on the UK’s agri-tech landscape.
The Candidate
We’re looking for a visionary and commercially astute leader with a proven ability to lead complex, project-driven organisations. The ideal candidate brings experience across innovation, research, and multi-stakeholder collaboration—balancing strategic insight with operational delivery. Adept at engaging with a range of stakeholders including government, industry, and academia, the right candidate will thrive in delivering the key themes around adoption, investment and validation of technology.
With a strong track record of building and motivating high-performing teams, the ideal candidate will be both an inspiring communicator and a pragmatic decision-maker, capable of shaping culture, unlocking growth, and delivering impact across diverse funding landscapes.
This is a rare and compelling opportunity to lead the newly unified UK Agri-Tech Centre at a pivotal moment in its evolution. UKATC is entering a transformative phase—redefining its purpose, sharpening its strategic focus, and building a more commercially astute, impact-driven model.
For more information on this unique and exciting opportunity, please contact Sophie Wood on sophie.wood@edensearch.co.uk or Dani Walker dani@edensearch.co.uk 020 3795 7735. All applications and enquiries will be forwarded to Eden who are exclusively retained by the UK Agri-Tech Centre on this project.