The Potato Council has a new chairman to replace David Piccaver who died late last year after an illness.
Fiona Fell has also been appointed to the board of the Potato Council’s parent body, the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB).
Mrs Fell has been an independent member of AHDB’s Potato Council sector board for six years, and has acted as interim chairman since Mr Piccaver’s death.
Mrs Fell, based in Northumberland, comes from a farming family in Worcestershire. While a partner in the family farm, she trained and worked as a vet for a number of years.
Until recently she was a non-executive director of the Penicuik-based Moredun Foundation and the Moredun Research Institute. She chaired the institute’s audit committee and was involved in improving standards of corporate governance and reporting.
Mrs Fell has also chaired the research and development committee for the Potato Council.
The appointment, made by the Defra Secretary, has been approved by the devolved administrations and came into effect this week for a three-year term.
Mrs Fell will be paid £32,000 per annum on a two days a week basis. Reasonable travel expenses are also paid.
