AHDB has appointed Charlotte Evans as its first ever head of engagement for pork, a brand new role, which she will start in mid-November.
The new position incorporates responsibilities from the head of knowledge exchange role held by Jen Waters, who leaves AHDB on September 23, while also picking up additional responsibilities as a result of the sector director role being removed from AHDB’s structure.
Dr Evans, who is returning to the organisation, having previously worked at both AHDB and its predecessor BPEX, will be responsible for liaising with the pork sector chair and sector council. She will act as a commentator, media spokesperson and platform speaker for the pork sector, and be responsible for the development of levy payer and stakeholder engagement measures for the pork knowledge exchange team.
She comes to the role with broad knowledge of the pig industry, joining from DSM Nutritional Solutions and having also worked for ForFarmers since she left AHDB. Prior to joining BPEX, where she spent eight years, she worked on a 1,000-sow pig farm. She gained a PhD in 2009 specialising in infectious diseases in pigs, funded by BPEX.
Dr Evans said: “I am really pleased to be re-joining AHDB during this important time of transition for the industry. I look forward to implementing some of the ideas shared during the Shape the Future vote by working with the wider AHDB, sector council and producers.
“I intend to bring the same practical background, together with additional skills and experience, from the commercial sector in managing tight resources, working across many different multi-disciplinary teams and measuring and monitoring the success of different types of commercial, technical and marketing activities.”