Back to farming roots for new appointment

Dynamic businesswoman Fiona Malcolm is making a welcome return to her farming roots as the newly appointed Commercial and Marketing Director of the South of England Agricultural Society.

As she settles into her new role to promote the work of the South of England’s biggest agricultural charity, Fiona happily recalls that she began life as a member of a farming family in the beautiful Pembrokeshire National Park in West Wales.

"I have a great deal of empathy with farmers and the farming heritage of this country," Fiona said. "My great-grandfather and my grandfather farmed in West Wales and all my uncles and cousins have been involved in farming for as long as I can remember. My father proved the only exception when he joined the RAF but, even then, when he was away, I spent my time in the countryside with other members of the family."

Fiona became the South of England Agricultural Society’s Commercial and Marketing Director in August and recently experienced its Autumn Show & Game Fair, one of the premier annual events it holds at the South of England Centre in Ardingly, near Haywards Heath.

The next event in the Society’s busy calendar is the Autumn Conference when farmers from across the region come together to hear a debate on an important farming issue of the day, this year on the topic of intensive farming and its compatibility with conservation.

"I have a keen interest in the aims and objectives of the South of England Agricultural Society," Fiona continued. "Coming from a farming background, I understand the importance of preserving our rural heritage and increasing awareness of and promoting knowledge of agriculture and rural communities. My new position is a challenge I find very exciting."

Fiona, who lives in Hove, joins the Society after a tenure of 10 years at Sussex Enterprise where she successfully fulfilled a number of challenging roles, most recently as Director of Commercial Services. She played a key role in strategic and business planning including financial forecasting, marketing and resource planning. Previously she managed Business Link Sussex, a £4.5 million per annum grant funded programme delivering support services to businesses.

Brian Williams, Chairman of the South of England Agricultural Society, said Fiona brought great skills to the Society that would see its role develop into the challenging second decade of the 21st century. "Fiona has already begun to make her mark alongside our Director Deborah Barber and we anticipate that she will become an invaluable asset as we drive the Society forward. As a charity, the Society is committed to its role to work for the benefit of all who are employed in agriculture in the South East, for all who care about its future and the countryside we cherish. Fiona’s personal knowledge and experience of farming and rural life is one of the reasons we chose her for this important role."