Case study
AMFRESH
Innovation Programme Director
Opportunity
With group revenues exceeding €2 billion, AMFRESH is a global leader in fresh food innovation, offering end-to-end solutions across citrus, table grapes, tropical fruits and freshly squeezed fruit juices. Known for its commitment to varietal and operational excellence, AMFRESH consistently pushes the boundaries of what is possible in fresh produce.
To sustain its momentum and further embed innovation at the heart of its operations, AMFRESH partnered with Eden Search to appoint an Innovation Programme Director. This strategic leadership role would shape and drive the group-wide innovation and R&D agenda, while establishing the framework for continuous improvement across the global supply chain.
“Having partnered with AMFRESH on a number of strategically important roles previously, we knew that Eden would be able to understand our needs and ask the right questions to us, to ensure upfront that we collectively knew the profile required for this critical role. With clear communication from the outset, Eden stuck to the milestones we agreed upon, and once again, delivered an excellent shortlist for consideration. The successful candidate met the critical requirements of the brief and will help to drive and accelerate our innovation strategy.”
Andrew West, HR Director, AMFRESH
Our approach
Eden worked closely with AMFRESH’s senior leadership team to define a brief for the role—one not typically found within the fresh produce sector. Our search targeted professionals from global blue-chip organisations with mature innovation and R&D functions. A key criterion was international experience along with a demonstrable ability to lead cross-functional innovation across diverse business units.
We recognised early on that the ideal candidate would need to bring a broad and adaptive approach to innovation—not anchored in a single discipline. The role required someone who could build a function from scratch, establish clear strategic frameworks, and identify and prioritise high-impact initiatives to support AMFRESH’s ambitious growth and transformation goals.
The results
Eden delivered a shortlist of four high-calibre candidates, each with proven experience in designing and leading R&D strategies within complex food production environments. Following an extensive and robust interview and assessment process, two standout candidates were interviewed by the Group CEO. One candidate was successfully appointed, bringing a compelling mix of long-term strategic vision and immediate execution capability.
The appointment will enable AMFRESH to accelerate its innovation agenda, with a leader capable of driving systemic change and delivering measurable impact across the business.