AgriLeader Forum 2023: Driving your success

At the conference, farmers and growers heard from experts about how to drive their businesses forward, for example by tapping into mentors, developing a plan and making it happen and taking your people along with you for the journey. 

Scroll down for some photos and videos from across the two days, or visit the 2024 event page.

Event summary

The event attracted around 100 levy payers from all four sectors who were told to expect rapid change and given advice on how to navigate their businesses through it successfully.

Panel discussion

As part of the opening session, panellists discussed the benefits of finding a mentor, surrounding yourself with people who make you a better person and having a long-term plan to focus on and, importantly, making the plan happen.

Enjoying what you do was also highlighted as playing an important role in the success of any business. “If your employees feel happier, they perform better at work,” enthused Matt Phelan, CEO and Co-Founder of The Happiness Index, who also highlighted the importance of getting off the farm and speaking to different people, whether it’s at events such as the AgriLeader Forum right through to visiting businesses outside of your sector.

The future of work and artificial intelligence

Delegates then heard from Dan Sodergren, a renowned speaker and regular on TV and radio, who shared his views on the future of work. He said we should all be focused on digital change and transformation, particularly artificial intelligence (AI), whether we like it or not.

He also echoed the thoughts of the panellists, highlighting the importance of employees being engaged in their workplace and the importance of good leadership, and added that businesses can often underestimate technology and the benefits it can bring. He explained how AI provides a huge opportunity for agriculture, which he expects will completely change the way people work.

Building networks and nurturing your team

Day two of the conference saw internationally acclaimed performance coach Jamil Qureshi captivate the audience. Jamil talked about the importance of making connections, developing networks and building alliances, highlighting how communities will outperform an individual or bureaucracy time after time.

He told the audience to acknowledge and praise their team’s activities, rather than the outcomes – “Yes, the result might be great, but what’s important is how the outcome has been achieved and how you can tap into this for future success.”

Another theme that ran through the conference was the importance and value of people – your teams, colleagues, staff and managers – and the benefit diversity can bring to your business. All speakers stressed the importance listening to your people, providing feedback to them, engaging them in the business and bringing them along the journey with you.

Jamil challenged delegates to “Be a winner who creates other winners. Think about that in your next meeting, whether it’s with your team, your bank manager or your family.” He highlighted how enabling and helping other people makes us happier and feel more alive, which is surely something that everyone wants.

Farmer wellbeing

Delegates also benefited from health checks (physical and mental wellbeing) and massages provided by nurses and a masseur funded through Warwickshire Rural Hub. 

Event feedback

Delegates told us that the event was a welcome opportunity for reflection, networking and reframing. They agreed that it was refreshing to hear from speakers outside of our industry, and that it was thought-provoking and inspiring.

Attendees also told us it was great to be able to chat with so many like-minded people, from both within and outside of their sectors and to take time away from the farm.

Delegates left the event reinvigorated, having challenged themselves on what makes them and their businesses tick and with a clear vision of their ‘why’. 

What was the line-up?

The AgriLeader Forum focused on helping you to develop and drive the three pillars essential for running a successful business: leading yourself, leading your people and leading your business.

We had an exciting line-up of speakers, as well as a high-profile international sportswoman as our after-dinner speaker.

In addition, new for the 2023 event was the opportunity to get a health check and massage from a team of farmer-friendly nurses supported by Warwickshire Rural Hub.

Day 1: Tuesday 7 February

12:00pm Registration and lunch   

12:45pm Conference start  

Maintaining direction in the new world? 

Panel Q&A featuring:  

Elizabeth Buchanan, a non-executive board member of Defra and Special Adviser to Waitrose, Saputo UK and McDonald’s

Matt Phelan, CEO and Co-Founder of The Happiness Index, an employee engagement and happiness platform

James Rutter, Chief Creative Officer at COOK, a frozen ready-meals company working for people and the planet, not just profit  

New thinking, new world, new tech

With Dan Sodergren, an international speaker who loves to talk about the future of work, technology and digital marketing

Drinks reception and dinner, sponsored by CIEL

Our after-dinner speaker was Katy Daley-Mclean MBE

Hailing from the Northeast of England, Katy is one of the UK’s most high-profile sportswomen and has developed an imitable reputation as both a rugby player and a leader.

Day 2: Wednesday 8 February 

9:00am Conference start  

Turning ambition into achievements

With Jamil Qureshi, motivational speaker and performance coach

Refreshment break

Nurturing a growth mindset

With Jamil Qureshi

Reflections: have you stepped out of your comfort zone?

With Jamil Qureshi and Heather Wildman

12:45pm Lunch and depart   

When and where

7 February – 8 February 2023

Crowne Plaza Stratford

Bridge Foot

Stratford-upon-Avon

CV37 6YR

Dan Sodergren

Dan is a renowned international speaker who specialises in new and emerging digital marketing techniques. He’s a dad, a lover of tech and a futurist.

His company, YourFLOCK, centres on team engagement based on values and aims to save businesses money by keeping their teams together for longer.

Dan loves to talk about the future of work, technology and digital marketing, and has done for almost 20 years.

Jamil Qureshi

Jamil has worked from CEO and board level to middle management in a variety of sectors. He has worked with business leaders and companies helping teams to fulfil their potential by orchestrating change and performance programmes.

Jamil was ranked among the most influential figures in British sport in 2009. He was also voted in the top 100 most powerful men in golf in 2008 by his international peers.

He has worked with three English Premiership football clubs, one of which reached a record position from its halfway point in the season, and with Formula 1 drivers David Coulthard and Eddie Irvine.

Elizabeth Buchanan

A non-executive board member of Defra and Special Adviser to Waitrose, Saputo UK and McDonald’s.

Matt Phelan

CEO and Co-Founder of The Happiness Index, an employee engagement and happiness platform.

James Rutter

Chief Creative Officer at COOK, a frozen ready-meals company working for people and the planet, not just profit.

Katy Daley-Mclean MBE

Hailing from the Northeast of England, Katy is one of the UK’s most prominent sportswomen and has developed an imitable reputation as both a player and a leader.

In December 2020 Katy announced her retirement from international rugby leaving her legacy of being the third most-capped player and second-highest England points scorer of all time with a total of 542.

Katy also held the England captaincy for over four years and led her nation to a famous IRB World Cup victory at the Jean Bouin stadium, Paris in 2014. She is currently Sale Sharks’ Women's Performance Lead.

If you have any questions about this event or our AgriLeader programme, please get in touch with one of the team.