AgChemAccess Ltd Team Profiles

Nick Gooch, CEO and Managing Director

An award-winning entrepreneur and leading business man, Nick Gooch set up AgChemAccess Ltd Limited in August 2004. Having worked for several of the world's agrochemical leaders in senior management and directorial roles, Nick has also been responsible for pioneering major brands such as Interfarm in the UK and developed the highly successful grower focused website, potatocrop.com, which attracted over 85% of all UK growers and represented 90% of the UK potato crop industry.

Nick graduated from Leeds University where he gained a First Class BSc Degree in Chemistry and Agricultural Chemistry, before undertaking further business focused training at Cranfield School of Business Management. His significant and noteworthy expertise in the agrochemical industry spans:

• international sales management;
• marketing and product development;
• company distribution planning and strategy;
• justification of new active ingredients and formulations; and
• key client planning.

Despite directing several other successful businesses, Nick maintains close and hands-on control of AgChemAccess Ltd Limited, the company born out of his passion for setting a benchmark for excellence within the agrochemical industry by delivering the highest quality registered products at the best value.

In 2007, Nick and his team achieved national recognition by winning the UK Trade & Industry Award for the Best Service Sector Company.

Outside of work Nick lives in the fast lane of motorsports taking part in professional races and winning several high profile sporting awards.

Matt Kealey, Director of Sales

Matt has over 15 years experience working with leading agrochemical manufacturers and distributers and is also co-owner of a UK based, specialist environmental seed supply company. With his impressive track record in agronomy and business development at senior levels Matt is well placed to drive the sales, product and service strategies of the business, whilst remaining at the coalface to manage individual customer needs and accounts.

Matt specialised in crop production and protection at Harper Adams Agricultural College before going on to study business management at Loughborough. He is BASIS registered and has completed BAA III.

Outside of work, Matt’s passion for the countryside has led to an involvement in gun dog training, clay pigeon shooting and deer management. He is also a Serving Special Constable assisting the Police force.

Gary Phillips, Sales & Business Development Manager

Gary has over 20 years experience working with leading agrochemical manufacturers and distributers – achieving the role of National Sales Manager at Bayer. Experience outside of the agrochemical industry includes senior management positions including that of Managing Director of the market leading equine business Blue Chip Feed Ltd.

His expertise in business and the agrochemical industry spans:

·         international sales management;

·         marketing and product development;

·         company distribution planning and strategy;

·         National Account Management and key client planning.

A graduate of the University of Wales - Aberystwyth Gary has a degree in Agriculture. Subsequently specializing in crop production and protection he is BASIS registered and has completed BAA III. Outside of work, Gary’s interests include Rugby (soon to retire from playing!) and motorcycling.

 

Martin Britland, Key Account Manager

With over 20 years experience working with leading national and multi-national agricultural companies, Martin lends considerable value to his key account manager role.

His expertise extends through sales, client relationship management, niche agrochemical technical knowledge and business management. With principle accountability for sales in to key UK distributors, Martin is also leading the development and release of AgChem's new micro-nutrient range and works closely with UK Trade & Industry and Passport to Export in the development of specialist areas of research into new products and markets.

Highly qualified, Martin is BASIS registered, FACTS qualified and holds his Ukasta/hac Certificate of Competence. At home Martin's focus is on his family; he also follows Rugby, indulges in clay and game shooting and enjoys fell walking in the countryside.

Alan Deayton, Sales Manager, North and West Europe

Having dealt primarily in the Futures Markets, Alan has over two decades of experience within the Grain Trade, Shipping and Freight industries. He has worked with some of the most renowned national and international distributers and merchants, and had a pivotal role in establishing the London Soyameal Futures Exchange and London Freight Futures Association.

Today, Alan leads business development in AgChem's northern and western European markets, building new customer and distributer networks and ensuring that existing accounts are managed effectively to meet individual product and service needs.

Alan is a passionate traveller and a keen sportsman. He plays tennis and hockey, cycles and relaxes on long walks in the countryside with his family and two dogs.

Clive Bromilow, Sales Manager, Africa

Clive has over 30 years experience with leading multinational agrochemical companies and has worked in all aspects of chemical distribution from R&D to international sales. Starting his career with Fisons Limited in the UK, which later became FBC Ltd, he then progressed on to such companies as Bayer, where he spent a further 11 years. For the 2 years prior to joining AgChemAccess Ltd he was with Biological Control Products (Pty) Ltd of Durban as Sales Director. He has operated worldwide in over 33 countries from America to the Far East, although most of his working life has been based in South Africa, which is where he now lives and manages AgChemAccess Ltd business throughout Africa.

In 1995 Clive published a successful book called “Problem Plants of South Africa”, which is now being prepared for its 4th edition and which covers weeds and alien plants throughout the region. This book has now become a recognized reference on the subject.

Clive is a keen golfer and fisherman.

Jonathan Skinner, Logistics and Supply Chain Manager

Jonathan is the lynchpin of our operations. He is responsible for the import and export of all freight within required customer timeframes and strict seasonal application limits. Working closely with our global suppliers, warehousing and distribution centres, he ensures that customer deliveries are efficiently tracked and swiftly received.

A graduate in Modern European Studies, Jonathan has experience in leading import/export companies in both operational and logistics management. He studied in London and Berlin and speaks German and Spanish. He is SAGE trained, a Qualified Internal Auditor for ISO Management Systems and has undergone transport learning. Outside work Jonathan dedicates time to his family. He also participates in road cycling at club level and enjoys visiting historic properties and walking in the countryside.

Andrew Low, Nutritional Business Director.

Andrew has been asked to set-up & run a brand new Business Unit within Agchem Access to supply plant nutrition products to the agricultural market.  Andrew brings 20 years’ of experience in the sector having worked previously with Phosyn Plc (a pioneer in the business) & latterly with Yara who with the worldwide acquisition of Phosyn in 2006 demonstrated that this previously niche market had come of age.  Plant nutritional products complement the existing crop protection portfolio very well with the majority of products being foliar applied & tank mixed with pesticides.

Andrew has worked for the majority of his career to date in Latin America & so also brings extensive knowhow of that large & often poorly understood Region to the Company.  This should help to open up future opportunities both for the nutritional range but also for the crop protection business.

 A keen cyclist, Andrew lives in Yorkshire with his wife & two children where, when he can find the time he also enjoys tennis.

Lorraine Ismail, Logistics and Development Co-ordinator

Lorraine has recently joined the AgChem team in September 2009 and is responsible for coordinating the UK logistics, credit control and operational development. For the last two years Lorraine has been heavily involved in the growth of a small property lettings business into a large successful operation and therefore will be utilizing these skills to project manage the development of this fast growing forward thinking company.

In her own time Lorraine enjoys watersports and travelling.

 

Charlotte Davis, Personal Assistant

Charlotte works closely with the Agchem Access team to ensure that all client and product information is up to date and readily available. Her role is to collate and organise supplier information and is heavily involved in purchasing products. She supports the team with their administrative duties enabling the team to focus on giving optimum customer service. She has exceptional organisational skills and keen eye for detail.

 
She is passionate to sink her teeth into a new challenge is hungry for success and looks forward to expanding her  role as the business grows using her previous skills ascertained at university. Charlotte has  a BSc honours degree in Mathematics and Statistics.

 
During the winter Charlotte can often be found amongst the snowy mountains skiing and in the summer taking long strolls along the North Norfolk Coast line.