The UK Agri-Tech Centre has confirmed the appointment of Steve McLean as its new Chief Executive Officer, following a rigorous recruitment process. He will officially take up the position on 27 January 2026.
Currently serving as Head of Agriculture & Fisheries Sourcing at M&S, Steve brings extensive executive experience and a strong background in driving strategic change. His career spans the retail, agriculture and fisheries industries, with deep involvement across the supply chain.
Looking ahead to his new role, Steve shared: “I’m honoured to be joining the UK Agri-Tech Centre at such a pivotal time for British agriculture. The sector is undergoing rapid transformation, and the organisation plays a vital role supporting the development of agri-tech innovation, which helps farmers and food producers meet the challenges of sustainability, productivity and resilience. I look forward to working with our partners across the industry to accelerate progress and deliver real impact.”
Dr Peter Quinn, Chairman of the UK Agri-Tech Centre, commented on the transition and the progress made under interim CEO Hannah Senior: “Steve’s appointment will be instrumental in building on Hannah’s success, providing strategic leadership to drive growth in the agri-tech sector and supporting businesses to successfully develop and commercialise their products and services.”
Although Hannah will be stepping down from her interim role, she will remain involved with the organisation as a member of the Board.
Reflecting on her time as interim CEO, Hannah said: “It’s been a pleasure and a privilege to work with the UK Agri-Tech Centre on an interim basis. We’ve taken huge strides to make the business more impactful in supporting innovative companies to develop and commercialise their agricultural technologies, so I couldn’t be more pleased that in the new year it’s Steve, bringing his deep understanding of the value chain and the sector, who will be leading the organisation forward to an exciting future.”
