International Agribusiness and Food Chain Management

March 2021:

Harper Adams postgraduate alumnus Lewis Davies has been appointed Environmental and Sustainability Manager at the Wynnstay Group.

Having completed a one year programme in International Agri-Business and Food Chain Management, Lewis has taken his knowledge of the global challenges and opportunities as well as principles and practices of modern international agri-business management to his new role.

As Environmental and Sustainability Manager, Lewis said: “I’m looking forward to being involved in building a more sustainable business alongside supporting the wider industry.”

In his new role, Lewis will be responsible for the development and implementation of the Group’s Environmental and Social Governance (ESG) and Sustainability Strategy across all Group businesses; representing the company within the wider agricultural industry, and supporting the common goals of the business.

Andrew Evans, Wynnstay Group Operations and Feeds Director, said the appointment signalled a change in direction for the company.

“As a business, we’re constantly striving to support our customers in meeting the wider demands of the supply chain. Creating a sustainable business that works with the environment is paramount, and we hope with Lewis’s direction, we can continue to provide our farmers and their businesses with the tools and expertise to maintain profitably.”

Lewis took up his studies at Harper Adams to gain new skills and knowledge. He said: “This course appealed to me as it combined my agri background with my academic knowledge from my business management undergraduate degree. I also liked the flexibility to choose different modules to get a rounded understanding that suited my interests.”

Lewis described his postgraduate course as “thought-provoking and a way to challenge the ‘norm’ or status quo” and hopes to elevate his PgC qualification to a PgD in the future.

Further studies can help students to gain an edge to their CV and become specialised in a certain area of their chosen sector. With a keen interest in business in agriculture and its effect on the food chain, Thais Reyes Saldana joined Harper Adams from the Dominican Republic to study for her Master’s degree.

Thais began by explaining her decision to undertake further study, saying: "One year ago I decided to go abroad with the aim of completing a Master’s degree in International Agri-business and Food Chain Management.

“I wanted to focus on international agri-business and when I looked deeper into it, I realised Harper was the best option.”

Although Harper was far from home, the strong community of students and friendly staff made the campus feel like a second home. Thais said: “It’s really good studying as an international student. At the beginning, I thought that it was going to be more difficult but there is a big family of international students and we support each other a lot. Moreover, there were plenty of social activities organised by the Student Union to get involved in and meet lots of people."

Support for students is key when looking into studying options, no matter what you are studying or where you are from. Thais commented on the great well-being support from the Student Support team but shared her top tip for help as an international student: “Our favourite one is the academic English language support because even though we speak English, we’re not that used to the academic language in English. You can book an appointment whenever you need and they will help you go through your whole assignment.”

Having now completed her MSc International Agri-business and Food Chain Management, Thais is looking to take her new knowledge out into the field.

Reflecting on her time at Harper, she commented: “If you're friendly, it’s going to be the best time of your life. I’m grateful for all the good and challenging experiences I had this year, and I’m ready to face new challenges.”