A past Chair of the Society, John is a Divisional Director with Promar International, the agri-food value chain consultancy business owned by Genus plc. He has worked extensively on agri-food marketing assignments throughout the UK and in more than 60 other countries, with clients including government agencies, trade and industry associations and leading UK and international food and drink companies.

He is a Visiting Lecturer at the University of Reading, was the Chair (for 6 years) of the Organising Committee of the City Food & Drink Lecture (held annually in London and organised by eight  City-based livery companies involved in the agricultural and food sectors), a member of the Agricultural Economics Society, and the past President of the UK Chartered Institute of Marketing’s Food, Drink and Agriculture Group. He still serves on the National Council and the Thames Valley branch of what is now the Society of Agriculture.