Hayley Campbell-Gibbons took on the role of chief horticulture adviser at National Farmers' Union in May of this year and previously served as the NFU's chief dairy adviser. Prior to joining the NFU in 2007, Hayley started her career in countryside management and also spent two years working on environmental and agricultural skills issues. She read geography at the University of Birmingham and later went on to complete a masters in rural policy at Coventry University.

Tom Amery is managing director of the Watercress Company, a grower that works in partnership with Bakkavor to produce 4m kg of watercress and other salad vegetables on farms in Spain, the UK and the US. Tom left school at 15 and has been with the Watercress Company since 1999.

Sandy Anderson is fresh foods buyer for Elior, responsible for a spend of more than £27m. Passionate about food quality and provenance, he helped Elior become the first contract caterer to gain Red Tractor Assurance accreditation. A former chef himself, Sandy is committed to training chef teams to protect both standards and profits.

Liz O'Keefe is a food journalist and former chef who has been writing for the Fresh Produce Journal for four years. Taking a particular interest in UK horticulture, Liz travels around the country gathering the views from the various regions. She creates and co-ordinates the FPJ Conferences' schedules.

Robert Mitchell worked in New Zealand and Australia before joining his family fruit farm in Kent. Now growing 93ha of apples and pears with his wife Helen, he has been vice chair of the Apple & Pear Research Council, chairman of Marden Fruit Show Society and chair of Concordia and is a Trustee of EMR.

Mark Lumsdon-Taylor is finance director at Hadlow College and has been instrumental in building the college into a regional, national and international brand for land-based education, the provision of services to the rural sector and the instigator of positive change and action on climate issues.

Technical Director for Fresca Group, Andrew has a varied background and is a well-known industry figure. He joined Fresca four years ago from Marks & Spencer, and has now been tasked with leading the group's innovation and development agenda. From plant breeder and variety development on to supply chain improvements, quality assurance and environmental performance, Andrew's role is broad and fast moving.

Michael Barker is editor of the Fresh Produce Journal. He was previously fresh foods editor at major food and drink weekly The Grocer, and has also worked as editor of Commercial Grower and news editor at the Grower magazine. His first novel, The Improbable Tale of How I Saved The Universe, is published in July.

Carol Ford works to champion UK producers across the globe through her business Growing Direct. She has more than 20 years of fresh food experience working in buying, sales and marketing roles. The internet can break down communication barriers like never before and Carol is at the forefront of this.

Chris Atkinson is head of science and executive member of East Malling Research's Science Management Team. His main research interests focus on understanding the impact of environmental factors on the growth and development
of apple, pears, cherries and blackcurrants.

Third generation Kentish fruit grower Paul Kelsey turned his family business, Kelsey Farms, from top fruit to soft fruit in the mid-1990s. Paul is a liveryman of The Worshipful Company of Fruiterers, chairman of the National Cherry and Soft Fruit Show and the chair of Berry Gardens.

Wendy Akers is managing director of the award-winning food and drink PR agency Mustard Communications, which
revitalised the watercress sector with its "Not Just a Bit on the Side" campaign. Wendy set up the company after a 20-year career, working first as a journalist and then in PR roles.

John Sheaves is the chief executive of Taste of the West, the trade organisation for southwest England. Brought up on a small Devon dairy farm, John farmed for 15 years himself, setting up East Devon's first farm shop, then moved into environmental consultancy, before joining Taste of the West in 2005.

Luke King is operations director at Riverford Organic Vegetables, taking responsibility for four sites and a franchise network of 75 businesses. Born in Totnes, Devon, he read environmental geology at Reading University. Luke took a summer job in the packhouse at Riverford in 2001 and six years later he became general manager of the Devon operation, starting as operations director this year.

Pam Lloyd is the eponymous head of a business that works solely to promote fresh produce businesses to consumer, media and trade audiences. Clients of Pam Lloyd PR benefit from hard-working, award-winning media campaigns based on solid research and data, the tangible results of which are raised awareness, increased household penetration and enhanced frequency of purchase.

T&JB Produce's Tim Barnes is Cornish born and bred and runs his family importer and supply business from Truro, Cornwall. Having worked for a retailer and been instrumental in linking Cornish businesses to the multiples, Barnes now concentrates on national distribution around the country.

David Simmons runs a family business, Riviera Produce, supplying brassicas from west Cornwall to major retailers nationwide. David's passion for Cornwall and for brassicas drives the business forward, helping the farm grow from 65ha when he came home from Seale Hayne Agricultural College 30 years ago to more than 1,400ha today.

Liz Bowles is the south west regional manager for EFFP. A farmer's daughter from Devon, she joined EFFP in 2004 and now focuses on farmer and supply chain collaboration to deliver added value to all involved. Liz works with POs, growers, packers and processors across the fresh produce sector.

Sarah Pettitt is the technical & business development manager for F Pettitt & Son, growing more than 500 acres of brassicas, some cereals and rotational legumes in Lincolnshire. Sarah and brother Richard are the fourth generation on their family farm. The business produces high quality produce for the retail sector under a number of assurance schemes, via a range of intermediaries.

Sarah is Chairman of the NFU Holland (Lincs) County Board and a member of the Lincolnshire Agriculture & Horticulture Forum, the Horticultural Development Company (HDC) Board, the Assured Produce (AP) Board, the AP Technical Advisory Committee, and the Defra Fruit and Vegetables Task Force.

Simon Martin is sales and marketing director for the QV Foods group of companies. Simon has spent the last four years building relationships and routes to market across all sectors of the fresh and prepared produce industry, from retail to foodservice for QV Foods. At the same time, with the introduction of the Inspire by Gregg Wallace brand, he has been a driving force in helping to turn a family-owned business into one of the leading players in its sector. Coupled with the instant success of Fresh Approach, Simon is leading the next exciting stage for the group.

Judy Whittaker joined Fresca Group as communications manager four years ago. She looks after perceptions of brands, media and community liaison within the group. Judy has worked on Thanet Earth from the outset, helping communicate how it works and why it's important to UK horticulture.

Mark Lumsdon-Taylor is finance director at Hadlow College and has been instrumental in building the college into a regional, national and international brand for land-based education, the provision of services to the rural sector and the instigator of positive change and action on climate issues.

Jan Lloyd is the Chief Executive of Covent Garden Market Authority (CGMA) and is instrumental in the redevelopment of fruit, vegetable and flower wholesale facility New Covent Garden Market.

Speaker profile coming soon.

Zeenat Anjari has been the business development manager at New Covent Garden Market for three years. Her main focus is to get more UK growers into the wholesale market. Previously employed by Sustain - the alliance for better food and farming, Zeenat used to own a portfolio of food businesses.

Sarah Calcutt works as a consultant advising on business development, communications and marketing. Chair of the
National Fruit Show, she was brought up on a fruit farm and educated at Hadlow College. Sarah is a former full-time
Norman Collett employee and a Fruiterers/Bayer Nuffield scholar.