Potato Review

58 POTATO REVIEW MARCH/APRIL 2022 APPOINTMENTS AHDB stalwarts’ research and consultancy roles TWO key members of the Sutton Bridge Crop Storage Research team have now officially taken on new roles within the industry, in the wake of AHDB Potatoes disbanding. Specialist in potato store management, Adrian Cunnington, has started his own consultancy entitled Potato Storage Insight Ltd (PSI) offering independent specialist advice, problem solving and training to growers and storage facilities. He had worked at Sutton Bridge CSR since the mid-1980s and was in charge at the Sutton Bridge site for more than 30 years, overseeing the research team and delivering advice to producers and suppliers. Meanwhile Crop Storage senior scientist Adrian Briddon, who had joined the Sutton Bridge Crop Storage Research team in 1989, working on sprout control projects for many years, has taken on a new role with Restrain as its Technical Manager. Adrian Briddon will be involved in research and development of Restrain’s sprout inhibition with ethylene. “I hope to make the method more widely applicable for various potato sectors,” he said. “I still find sprout inhibition very interesting, and we can still learn a lot more about it.” He believes the new role fits well with his own research work to date. “Ethylene is a very good sprout inhibitor, especially because of the distribution method. Ethylene gas is continuously and automatically distributed by a Restrain generator and reaches all corners of the potato storage. The product is therefore very suitable for potatoes stored in boxes or bulk in any type of storage system,” he said. He said his goal is to expand the use of Restrain to other sectors, for example in potatoes for crisps as it does not influence fry colour. Adrian Briddon Adrian Cunnington Two new sales directors HANDLING equipment manufacturer Tong Engineering has appointed Simon Lee and Charlie Rich as joint Sales Directors. Simon started his career at the company as an assembly engineer, when Tong acquired Peal Engineering in 2005. He quickly progressed through the business to become Tong’s Service Manager and a member of production management before joining the sales team in 2009. Since becoming Sales Manager, Simon has worked on numerous handling projects with vegetable growers and packers of all sizes both in the UK and abroad. Charlie has also spent much of his career with Tong Engineering, joining the company in 2001 after completing an engineering apprenticeship. He has been a factory-based engineer as well as time on the road as a service and installations engineer. Charlie joined the sales team in 2009 as Export Sales Manager, during which time he played a key role in expanding Tong’s export business in many new countries, whilst working closely with some of the UK’s largest vegetable producers on advanced handling projects, from the farm to pack. Managing Director Edward Tong said: “It’s been a strong year for sales and we have invested significantly in our new purpose-built production facility. The appointment of two new Sales Directors will allow us to maintain a strong focus on our manufacturing capabilities whilst actively exploring newmarkets and opportunities for growth.” New chief executive for NIAB PROFESSOR Mario Caccamo has been appointed as the new chief executive of the UK crop science organisation NIAB. A computer scientist by training, Professor Caccamo is currently NIAB’s Deputy Director and Managing Director of NIAB EMR. He has more than 20 years’ experience in life science research and big data, including specific projects to apply the latest DNA sequencing technologies and bioinformatics methods to advance scientific understanding of crop genetics and the interaction of agricultural crops with their environment. Mario joined NIAB fromThe Genome Analysis Centre, now known as The Earlham Institute, in 2015 as Head of Crop Bioinformatics. He became Managing Director of NIAB EMR in 2017, where he has overseen a hugely successful programme of growth in the organisation’s research and commercial activity, realising the opportunities offered by its acquisition by NIAB in 2016, alongside a multi-million pound redevelopment programme. Mario will take over from retiring CEODr Tina Barsby inOctober 2021. NIAB Board Chairman Jim Godfrey said: “His scientific, commercial and managerial expertise offers the right combination to continue and build upon NIAB’s phenomenal expansion in crop research and service provision achieved through the ambitious, wide-ranging programme of diversification, investment, merger and acquisition led by Tina over the past decade.”