Nick Watson

Nick manages the service delivery from NIAB’s Field Trial, Glasshouse and Laboratory teams covering agricultural and horticultural crop species. He ensure NIAB works with industry to find solutions for the efficacy testing or evaluation of their material, technology or variety, ensures projects are run efficiently, cost effectively and successfully and acts as the channel for new customers to rapidly get connected with the correct specialist and determine their needs. Nick also ensures collaboration between NIAB departments in efficiencies and opportunities, such as developing new services from the science NIAB conducts or cross disciplinary projects from glasshouse to field.

Nick has implemented career development programmes across the teams to reward skill development and ultimately a better trained and motivated workforce. He also ensures NIAB operates efficiently as possible, providing an affordable yet proficient service. He thrives on seeing the success of others, giving them the space and opportunity to grow and develop their interests and deliver work to their best ability and client satisfaction.

The impartiality and independence of NIAB are values he admires greatly, having appreciated other ethics in companies previously worked for and strongly believes NIAB can only do what it does with people who want to be part of the improvement of our industry directly and the wider implications agriculture and horticulture impose on the environment and sustainability.

Every day he has new challenges, whether it is juggling his children or finding the most effective way of improving internal or external process or solutions. He enjoys the diversity of the interactions he has with his own teams and with external contacts, bringing people and ideas together to advance the area he operates in. Although not from a farming background Nick has established a small vineyard at home, which tests his agronomic skills and connects him with a growing crop, helping him empathise with seasonal conditions and strife the industry is faced with.