HGCA Regional Managers
About the regional managers
Each Regional Manager covers one of five HGCA regions and is based at an existing AHDB office. One of the aims of the regional team is to raise and maintain awareness of HGCA in the regions, both with partner organisations but, importantly, with growers themselves. The team is helping HGCA become more regionally focused, better understanding regional needs and targeting information more precisely to the sector.
A survey at Cereals 2013 showed improving business profitability to be growers’ top priority, and delivering greater business efficiency and resilience is an area where the regional team is taking a hands-on role.
Regional Manager:
Richard Laverick (Head of Regional Development)
[email protected]
Based at HGCA’s Stoneleigh Park offices, Richard joined HGCA from ADAS, where he established and led regional teams delivering agricultural research and consultancy services.
A biological scientist by training, Richard has substantial agricultural experience including BASIS training and has managed HGCA funded projects delivered by ADAS. He is HGCA’s Head of Regional Development and leads the Regional Team as well as covering HGCA’s West region, which includes Wales and Northern Ireland.
Regional Manager:
Harry Henderson
[email protected]
Based at Ashkam Bryan near York, Harry grew up on a farm in his native north Wales. Subsequently, Harry developed an interest in farm machinery and precision farming that took him around the world working in agriculture.
Having managed a plant breeding farm near Cambridge for Monsanto, in 2005 Harry joined John Deere as Crop Systems Specialist, from where he was recruited by HGCA.
Regional Manager: Tim Isaac
[email protected]
Tim joined HGCA with more than 20 years of farm business experience in the East of England. Based at Huntingdon, Tim joins HGCA from the CLA, where he was Regional Adviser for the East of England. Trained in agricultural business management, Tim has also worked as a farm business consultant, specialising in the direct management of farms and contracting arrangements.
Regional Manager:
Philip Dolbear
[email protected]
Taunton-based Philip joined HGCA from HSBC Agriculture, where he was Senior Agriculture Manager in the South West region. Having studied agriculture at university, Philip spent seven years as a Senior Business Management Consultant with ADAS before developing his career with HSBC.
He brings substantial business management experience to the Regional Team, and a detailed understanding of the complexities of the industry in the region.
Manager: Gavin Dick
[email protected]
Having been brought up on a family farm, Gavin studied agriculture at SAC in Aberdeen before becoming farm manager on a 400 acre arable farm. Gavin then moved to Mackie’s in Aberdeenshire, where he managed a large farming enterprise including dairy, combinable crops, seed potatoes, pigs and poultry.
He then moved to manage an estate in Perthshire specialising in pedigree beef production and combinable crops. Before joining HGCA, Gavin was a business specialist with SAC, working to broaden farmers’ business management skills. He is based at AHDB’s offices near Edinburgh.