Global AgTech Exchange: Agritech trends and drivers in each region

Padraig Hennessy

CEO, Terra NutriTECH / Chairperson, AgTech Ireland

Padraig Hennessy, CEO of leading Agtech company (Terra NutriTECH), is a founder member and Chairperson of AgTech Ireland. Padraig is passionate about agtech, promoting technology and championing changing practices on farm, to make farming more sustainable while improving productivity. Padraig has extensive experience in implementing innovative strategies and developing trusted partnerships with customers across Europe. Padraig holds a Bachelor of Business and Marketing degree from Waterford Institute of Technology.

Bridgit Hawkins

Chair AgriTechNZ

From my earliest days of helping on the family farm to now leading a technology business focused on enabling  financial and environmental sustainability for farmers, I am passionate about making a difference in the agricultural sector.

The broad experience I have gained over my career enables me to bring together knowledge and expertise from business, technology, science and social science to develop solutions today for tomorrow’s challenges.

Innovation and technology are vital to solving the challenges ahead for the primary sector. Enabling an ecosystem that supports the establishment and scaling of business to bring new technologies to benefit the sector is a space I excel in. Merging business acumen, strong leadership and vision for a future in which farmers are proud and sustainable on every dimension, is the work I am committed to.

David Leydon

Head of Food & Agribusiness, ifac / Director, AgTech Ireland

David has spent over 20 years in food and agribusiness with extensive experience in senior management, people management and business strategy. David currently heads up ifac’s food and agribusiness consulting team, driving growth and development, and building capacity within Ireland’s food and agribusiness sector. He has led many projects for private and public organisations and works extensively with agtech companies in Ireland and internationally. He is also a founder Director of AgTech Ireland which represents the Irish agtech community. David has an MSc in Business and IT from DCU and an MBA from Henley Business School in London. 

Andrew Watene

Head of KPMG Propagate at KPMG

I am of Tūhoe descent, originally from Paengaroa in the Bay of Plenty

I arrived home to New Zealand 7-years ago which is when I moved to professional services after 23-years in industry, 17 of those years offshore in different roles throughout Asia, Africa, the America’s and Europe for Irish, Japanese and New Zealand food companies.

I am Head of KPMG Propagate at KPMG, our dedicated food, agribusiness, and export advisory business where I lead a team of industry experienced cross-functional professionals providing services to export-orientated clients nationally and internationally. I also support KPMG’s Global Head of Agribusiness Ian Proudfoot with the development and execution of KPMG New Zealand’s agribusiness strategy across the firm and its divisions.

I am a member of Chéile Māori Advisory Board to the Irish Embassy to New Zealand, Enterprise Ireland’s Australia-New Zealand Advisory Panel, and the New Zealand Chapter Representative for University College Dublin.

Our aspiration is to fuel New Zealand’s prosperity so there is never a boring day, and a lot to keep us motivated with the work we do.

Colm Markey

Outgoing MEP representing the Midlands-North-West Constituency, Member of Fine Gael/EPP Group

Colm Markey served as a Fine Gael/EPP Group member of the European Parliament, representing the constituency of Midlands North-West from 2020 to 2024. He was a member of the Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development (AGRI), Transport and Tourism (TRAN) and Fisheries (PECH). His achievements include negotiating the Carbon Removal Certification Framework, securing vital Ten-T funding for Galway Port and raising awareness of the difficulties facing the Irish fishing sector at the top levels in the EU. Colm has also served as Cathaoirleach of Louth County Council and as President of Macra.

Sarah Perriam-Lampp

Creative  Director, CountryWide Media

Sarah Perriam-Lampp is the creative director of CountryWide Media after a career as an award-winning journalist and director of a creative communication agency where she loves to use multi-media to empower agricultural science and business to more deeply connect with farmers and growers.

As a rural broadcaster with a decade of experience across TV, radio, podcast and print, Sarah’s pulse on where New Zealand’s food and fibre producers need to better position themselves makes her a valuable mainstay in any muster of the minds!

Her hugely successful agribusiness podcast Sarah’s Country reaches over 30,000 listeners per month and nearing a thousand episodes in 2023. She is also a regular contributor on rural issues to television, radio and magazine columnist as well as frequently travelling to MC rural conference’s and events.

Sarah has begun her governance career with an AGMARDT leadership scholarship in value chains, is on the board of Safer Farms, a trustee of Will to Live Charitable Trust and a member of the Institute of Directors recently completing her CDC. Sarah lives with her husband Will, an operations manager at Align Farms, where they reside in Methven.