Our Partner Business Redfox has been commissioned by a hugely innovative and very well-funded business that has developed and patented natural ingredient chemistry to build products to compete with and replace existing synthetic chemistry in a $60bn Global Agricultural and Fresh Produce market. Their sales have grown by over 60% in 2021 and are anticipated to grow by a further 50% in 2022. Their growth rate and commercial ambitions are impressive.

To assist in their planned growth, they are looking to source a market-leading Chief Executive Officer to further accelerate their growth as a global player in the biopesticide market with a range of proprietary cost-competitive products backed by very robust science.

Key Element of the Role:

As CEO, you will manage the overall operations of the company as well as develop and implement strategies that meet the needs of their international customers, the stakeholders, and the company team. You will be responsible for making key decisions and further developing the culture of the company. The most important aspect is that you will be a leader for this unique business and be able to rapidly take it to its next growth stage.

Role Details:

• Responsibility for the P & L ensuring sales are achieved, costs are managed and margins maintained/exceeded in line with the budget forecast.
• Take an active hands-on role in achieving sales prioritising customer, supplier, and operational relationships as well as leading/supporting team members.
• Grow the company in line with or above the five-year forecast.
• Lead and develop/enlarge the team ensuring that market opportunities are prioritised and accessed with staff developed and rewarded appropriately.
• Develop and implement plans to access new territories and new crops.
• Lead and develop the business’s marketing and communications activities ensuring appropriate media are utilised to achieve company objectives.
• Ensure the business maintains a high level of corporate governance and workplace ethics.
• To report ongoing to the Chairman and the Board.

Required Skills and Experience that Ideally We Want to See:

• Educated to degree level in an appropriate discipline.
• Management experience in the crop protection industry at an upper/senior level would be highly advantageous.
• Experience in managing and hiring a diverse team.
• Experience in selling/marketing into overseas markets.
• Good understanding of financial accounting and corporate governance.
• Excellent reporting and presentational skills.
• Knowledge of speciality cropping across different countries/climatic zones would be very pertinent.
• Experience in working with digital sales/customer engagement platforms.
• Good sustainable/IPM understanding.
• General
  • Good negotiator.
  • Commercially focused and results-driven.
  • Ability to think through and solve problems.
  • Able to think strategically but act tactically.
  • Ability to inspire innovation and high performance from team members.
  • Prepared to work long hours and travel extensively.

The role will be UK-based with their client’s main base being in East Anglia. An executive-level compensation package will be on offer for the right individual.

If you believe that you have the required background and similar ambitions to our client to create a positive and ongoing difference in the international agricultural sectors, we would be very keen to hear from you.

To explore this very exciting opportunity, please submit your CV via this LINK or call Max MacGillivray on +44 (0) 1284 715055 for a confidential conversation quoting Ref: 05291M.