Founders & Collaborative CEOs
Nature
#1 Co-Founder,
Shareholder & Role Model
“We have
literally made Nature
a shareholder.”
New Foundation Farms has its origin in our recognition that we must make possible the symbiosis between economy and ecology. Mother Nature is where it all begins and ends. Acknowledged or not, Nature is a shareholder and stakeholder in everything we do, working with Nature is our conscious choice.
There’s a foundational connection between the food we eat and the system we live in.
Nutrient density and ecosystem complexity are directly related. Building a business this way, is literally a new foundation for society.
That’s why we’re called New Foundation Farms.
Mark Drewell
Co-Founder &
Collaborative CEO
Mark thinks big and acts fast. He is a true change agent at the edge of business and society.
He brings a wealth of expertise and business experience from a career as a change agent and innovator.
Educated at Oxford University, Mark’s business career included a decade on the executive committee of a South African multinational with operations in 30+ countries including across Europe.
As the executive responsible for investor relations in two listed companies, he has worked extensively with investors worldwide.
He has served in numerous leadership roles in society including Founding Chair and CEO of the Globally Responsible Leadership Initiative – 100 global companies and business schools transforming leadership development at the world’s 20,000 business schools.
He has served advisory boards at The University of Pretoria, South Africa, The University of Cumbria, UK and The Business School of Lausanne, Switzerland.
His agriculture and land management experience includes seven years chairing a 35,000-hectare mixed farming, conservation and tourism enterprise in South Africa as well as co-owning a 700 hectare farm and conference centre where he applied regenerative farming to restore degraded land and improve economic performance. He has also served in the UK as a director of the Biodynamic Land Trust which owns and manages farms for ecological outcome. In a wider conservation context, he has chaired the largest local environmental NGO in Southern Africa which pioneered techniques of working with farmers to improve conservation and social impacts while simultaneously making them more economically productive.
Mark is also a brand and communications expert and served on the board of the 14,000-member International Association of Business Communicators, also chairing their world conference. In thought leadership, he is co-author of The Rise of the Meaningful Economy. Its ground-breaking insights explore how meaning has become a new currency changing our economic choices in terms of what we buy, where we work, how we invest and how we run our organisations.
Marcus Link
Co-Founder &
Collaborative CEO
Marcus is a deep systems thinker with a strong entrepreneurial drive, on a mission to disrupt the status quo.
He studied philosophy, religious studies and business, and is a fellow of the Royal Society of Arts. These might not seem like obvious credentials for your regular food and farming business start-up… but then that’s not what this is.
New Foundation Farms is about a fundamental change of food and farming as we know it – change needs disruption, disruption needs new thinking. Enter systems thinkers with an entrepreneurial track record and start-up experience.
Marcus co-founded the vertical online marketplace windpoweronline.com when he was still at university. This led him into the worlds of venture capital and biotechnology. After moving from Germany to England, he established and scaled direct to customer sales of organic meat boxes for the UK’s leading organic vegetable box brand Riverford, helping it grow into the huge brand it is today.
He also co-founded Vu Online Ltd which is an award-winning ecommerce site development business. Marcus held the position of Chairman of the Board and Chair of the Executive Leadership team at an independent co-ed Steiner school, leading the school from the brink of bankruptcy to strong financial health with a broader educational offer.
He was part of the team that established a Masters programme researching Agroecology at Crossfields Institute, and he also led the planning and bid phase of a biodynamic community supported agriculture scheme (CSA) on the Dartington Hall Estate in Devon.
In establishing New Foundation Farms, Marcus has more recently co-authored a substantial research piece on the economic dimensions and potential of agroecological approaches for the Food, Farming & Countryside Commission. The analysis was all done with a view to the creation of an Agroecology Development Bank in the UK.
He is co-founder of the Holos Earth Project, a gathering space for leading edge holistic thinkers and practitioners building an international network, capable of and committed to, changing the discourse and practice of leadership and governance in the face of the metacrisis of global challenges humanity faces today.
Marcus brings a unique combination of high-level academia and a proven track record of applied action to New Foundation Farms.
Executive Team & Directors
Glen Burrows
Head of Brand & Marketing
Glen’s career has been focussed in the creative industry for 25 years as a freelance advertising photographer, videographer and, more recently, co-founder of The Ethical Butcher.
Glen studied food science and nutrition, but, as he learned more about the industry and the breaking BSE crisis, he felt pushed into another career, disillusioned with the way our food was produced and marketed to us.
Glen followed his passion for photography into a successful career with representation in London, Paris and Los Angeles shooting international advertising campaigns for a diverse selection of brands from Volvo to Budweiser as well as regularly contributing to magazines such as Men’s Health, FHM and GQ.
Aside from his career, Glen’s interest and learning journey around food remained a part of his life. A huge turning point came when, 8 years ago, he gave up 25 years of being a vegetarian as an experiment for improving his health; and he never looked back.
The change of diet was so profoundly successful that he became a nutrition coach for professional rock climbers. This deep investigation about nutrition inevitably led to asking questions regarding the environmental impacts of food production.
Four years ago, a chance introduction led Glen to co-found the ground-breaking disruptor brand The Ethical Butcher. Glen’s passion for food and nutrition combined with his image making and storytelling abilities found a perfect home in the new brand. This involvement also necessitated a steep learning curve as the brand developed.
At The Ethical Butcher Glen’s skills for hard hitting industry challenging copywriting led to the creation of a campaign called Regenuary that went truly viral, leading to the creation of a podcast series and brand collaborations from other food producers and restaurants. The campaign also saw Glen invited to appear on countless panels, podcasts and interviews spreading the message about regenerative meat production and the challenges of developing a brand that is a real disruptor.
Glen now brings this vast skillset to New Foundation Farms to inform the purpose of the brand as well as develop the tone of voice of the communications and strategy as it realises its ambitious goal of deep regeneration through food and farming at pace and scale.
Clare Hill
Director Farming with Nature
Clare is a practising regenerative farmer with a wealth of experience at policy and corporate level.
Clare has enjoyed roles across the full spectrum of the food and farming world since graduating from Harper Adams University which is the leading specialist university tackling the future development of our planet’s food production, processing and animal sciences.
Most recently, Clare has been Director of the 1200 acre FAI Farms which is a working research enterprise farm dedicated to exploring regenerative practices for global businesses such as McDonalds and Arla, advising them on animal welfare, sustainability and leading them towards realising a potentially regenerative future for their businesses. Under Clare’s direction the farm achieved Savory Institute Ecological Outcome Verification (EOV), recognising the regeneration of the land.
Previously, she worked with the NFU, on standard setting for Red Tractor as well as The Food and Farming Policy and has advised companies as diverse and blue chip as Sainsburys on sustainability as well as working with high-end brands like Daylesford.
Day-to-day she runs a vibrant family farm called Planton Farm in Shropshire with her husband, using regenerative techniques to put nature first and produce foods with high nutrients rather than high yields.
![Caroline Mason, Director of Innovating Healthy Food Systems at New Foundation Farms](<a href="https://www.newfoundationfarms.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Caroline-Mason-New-Foundation-Farms-scaled.jpg">https://www.newfoundationfarms.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Caroline-MasonDirector-New-Foundation-Farms-scaled-e1675271835586.jpg</a> "Caroline Mason New Foundation Farms")
Caroline Mason
Director
Innovating Healthy Food Systems
Caroline is a sustainability consultant with over 17 years of experience of working and travelling across global food systems. She is utterly fascinated by how we collaborate to transform the way we shape our planet for future generations.
During her time at some of the UK’s largest food retailers like the Co-op and Waitrose, she has fostered collaborative relationships from farm-to-fork.
She is founder of Seeds to Thrive, a no nonsense sustainability consultancy which advises and coaches businesses and people to accelerate their sustainability dreams and ambitions.
Caroline also chairs an industry Agriculture Wellbeing incubator hub, composed of 17 businesses and charities, and she is a passionate champion and mentor of young women and girls who want to be the sustainability leaders and change makers of the future.
Throughout all of her work she is driven by a passion for making a true difference and helping to shape a future for all of us.
Paul Pizzalla
Non-Executive Director
Finance
Paul is a highly experienced investment and fund manager who also holds an Msc in Holistic Science, giving him a very unique skill set.
He was an investment and fund manager, at Heartwood Wealth Management and WHEB Group and added a deep dive into ecological complexity and systems thinking gained through his MSc in Holistic Science at Schumacher College.
Paul has taken an entrepreneurial route since 2013, raising finance for local renewable energy projects at TRESOC, starting an NGO, The Climate Map, in the US and developing the market for leading edge carbon drawdown technologies with Rainbow Bee Eater in Australia.
Dr Annie Rayner
Head of
Research & Development
Dr Annie Rayner has joined the management team in a variety of capacities in reflection of the portfolio of skills and passions in the arenas of project management, research and particularly the world of chickens.
Her PhD in veterinary sciences was on the subject of positive welfare. Positive animal welfare draws distinct parallels to regenerative agriculture in its inverse focus on promoting beneficial lives for animals as opposed to the traditional approach of avoiding harm. Annie also brings a specialisation in chickens to the table. (They (chickens) will form an important part of the stacked enterprises at all our operations.)
Alongside completing her PhD, Annie cut her teeth on holistic and regenerative approaches to farming working for FAI Farms for some 11 years. In her last role there, she was the Senior Research Manager where she managed FAI’s own internal research portfolio as well as research programmes for large food retail brands.
Annie brings a lively sense of what regeneration is all about, what it is not, and, most importantly, a willingness to start from a place of not knowing.
Kirsty Saddler
Director
Brand & Marketing
Kirsty is a strategist, marketer and advocate for impact based strategies in business. She has worked at creative agencies in London and New York for 15 years, working on brands such as Unilever, Sony, BBC and Volkswagen to develop award-winning brand, marketing and communications strategies.
Her work in a changing world led her to gain an MSc in Sustainability and Responsibility at Hult Business School.
She established an in-agency consultancy advising clients on their social and environmental impact strategies, working with the likes of Barclays and BA.
Kirsty also spent 3 years at Leon (the naturally fast food restaurant) as Brand & Marketing Director, overseeing international restaurant expansion, menu development and a range of partnerships. After a hiatus to run a consultancy working with the UN Women Unstereotype Alliance, she rejoined LEON to focus on sustainability and the development of a food-loving community of change makers.
In her soil research, she discovered regenerative agriculture and, in particular, an article by Mark Drewell and Marcus Link that so inspired her that she contacted them. Six months later, she joined New Foundation Farms to help pursue the mission to transform our food system.
Kevin Wissett-Warner
Director Estates Management
Senior Non-Executive Director
Kevin has spent the last 35 years in estate management, overseeing projects and providing strategic advice on over one million acres in the United Kingdom and Europe.
His management expertise extends beyond farming to forestry and amenity woodland, wildlife and game including fisheries, and has a deep understanding the various agri-environment schemes currently in place in Great Britain.
Kevin’s love of farming started whilst still at school milking cows at weekends, before going on to three periods at Agricultural College, including Cirencester. In between, he worked for one of the original Farmer’s Weekly farms as well as practical spells on Market Gardens and pick your own establishments.
He then worked for an environmental charity for 14 years advising farmers and landowners with the last six as a director on the Board. He was, until recently, a trustee of the leading organic gardening charity, Garden Organic.
For the last 20 years, Kevin has run his own estate management consultancy, concentrating on the relationship between farming, wildlife and game. Out of this came the realisation that food production needs to change and a close study of regenerative practice and a recent immersion in a 3LM Holistic Management course has given him renewed excitement and vision for the future of land management.
Kevin acts as the Senior Non-Executive Director at New Foundation Farms, providing an important level of oversight to the activities of the executive team.
Associates
Our associates regularly commit time and expertise to planning our operations,
developing our enterprises, and exploring new opportunities.
Michael Boyle
Farm Retail
Michael’s love of food and farming started at an early age. His grandad owned a small plot of land where he reared animals, milked goats and lived off the land, the good life. It stuck with Michael and after some time working within the agricultural sector he made his move into food retail. He began by creating a new farm shop with a close friend in Nottinghamshire over 18 years ago. From there Michael progressed his career and became Head of Retail at one of the largest farm shops in the country. He helped the brand to grow and with his specialist knowledge in fresh food production and retail the business grew to a decent £21m turnover.
During his time working in the industry, Michael also studied Strategic Management and Leadership. All this experience gave Michael the knowledge and expertise to start Fresh Retail Group, 3 years ago. The company has gone from strength to strength and now helps advise clients with a combined annual turnover in excess of £50m. It has also helped to steer new projects with investments in excess of £15m.
Michael believes that great tasting, local, sustainable food, sold by experienced, passionate people is key and his knowledge of how to do this commercially but sympathetically for the farmer, the local community, the team and the customer makes for a better future.
Sheila Cooke
Ecological Assessment, Education & Training
Sheila holds an MBA in international business, and a BA in sociology/anthropology, and worked in international business for twenty years, including 5 years as a general manager in Japan. This was followed by a career as a facilitator and educator which led her to become a customer of 5 Deep Limited in 2011.
She is a qualified trainer for the Institute of Cultural Affairs in Chicago, and developed and facilitated courses at the Food and Agriculture Organisation (UN) in Rome.
Sheila Cooke is the lead Director for 3LM, which acts as the Savory Institute hub for the UK and Ireland. As a Savory Institute accredited educator and Field Professional, she educates and advises farmers and business leaders in Holistic Management: a framework which informs high-quality decision-making, by providing people the insights and management tools needed to work with a full awareness of nature. Sheila is really inspired by 3LM’s network of producers, brands and retailers, professionals, and consumers who seek, through constant innovation, to change the paradigm of farming from extractive to regenerative.
Through 5 Deep Limited, working with Christopher, she has been developing plans for the large-scale adoption of Regenerative Agriculture across Europe since the development of the 3LM offering in 2014.
Sheila is really inspired by 3LM’s network of producers, brands and retailers, professionals, and consumers who seek, through constant innovation, to change the paradigm of farming from extractive to regenerative.
Through 5 Deep Limited, working with Christopher, she has been developing plans for the large-scale adoption of Regenerative Agriculture across Europe since the development of the 3LM offering in 2014.
Harry Epsom MRICS FAAV
Regenerative Land Agency
Harry Epsom is a Land Agent specialising in strategic estate management which incorporates
regenerative agriculture.
He founded and runs Epsom Rural, a consultancy practice, and advises
clients across England on a range of rural business matters including regenerative farming,
tenancies, diversification projects, planning applications and environmental management to
name a few.
Harry provides his advice through holistic thinking to help build resilience on his
clients’ farms.
His experience includes setting up market gardens, a pastured poultry enterprise, a regenerative
agriculture tools business, and various other on farm diversification projects. He is also taking
several farms through the organic certification process.
Born in Kenya, Harry grew up on a 36,000 acre ranch before studying in South Africa and then at
the Royal Agricultural University in Cirencester.
Harry is a Member of the Royal Institute of
Chartered Surveyors as well as a Fellow of the Central Association of Agricultural Valuers.
Additionally, Harry has studied making farms work through regenerative agriculture as well as
permaculture and holistic farm management, all of which he incorporates into his practice.
More recently, Harry has joined the Board of Directors of the Biodynamic Land Trust.
Outside of work, Harry lives in Buckinghamshire with his wife, Sarah. He is a keen on anything
outdoors but in particular loves rock climbing, hiking, camping and fishing. Harry is also a keen
gardener and dabbles in practical farming when time allows.
Andy Gilhespy
Milling, Baking & Making
Fresh Flour Ltd
Andrew Gilhespy is a highly accomplished professional in the grain and flour industry and currently works as the founder of Fresh Flour Company. He has extensive experience in the field and is widely regarded for his expertise in the processing and production of quality flours and dried pasta and Noodles.
Andrew completed his Masters of Science in Sustainable Agriculture majoring in the UK wheat industry at Schumacher College Devon. After completing his education, he pursued a career in the wheat industry, where he developed extensive knowledge in grain milling, processing, and wheat systems thinking.
Andrew incorporated Fresh Flour Company in 2019, where he has been an instrumental force in the company’s growth and success. He is responsible for ensuring high-quality products and processes while leading and developing the technical team. He puts a strong emphasis on sustainability and innovation, and under his guidance, Fresh Flour Company has earned a reputation for delivering exceptional grain and flour products to its clients.
In addition to his experience, Andrew regularly collaborates with industry-leading experts and research institutions to remain at the forefront of the latest advancements in his field. He is a sought-after speaker and contributor to publications on the topic of flour and grain production.
Rachel Hammond
Regenerative Food Production
edge
Rachel is a Landscape Architect and Urban Designer specialising in regenerative food production and designing spaces for food, soil health, wildlife and biodiversity.
She learnt to grow food from her grandparents in Jersey who grew much of their own produce on their acre – including Jersey Royal Potatoes! Rachel still loves potatoes.
Growing food commercially for the last 10 years, Rachel has worked with CSA, farms, market gardens, urban farms, community gardens and corporate businesses to increase food production and efficiency, whilst reducing labour and costs.
Rachel founded Edge -a non-profit design agency – with the main aims of designing urban food production systems, growing food within whole ecosystems and educating others on food production systems and ecological farming practices.
Pete Russell
Gate-to-Plate Expert
Pete Russell is the founder and CEO of Ooooby – a gate-to-plate trading platform for independent farmers and artisan producers.
Pete is driven by a vision of a real food renaissance where ecologically sound food from a decentralised network of independent producers is widely accessible, affordable and commonplace.
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Edmund Sutcliffe
Lead Agroecosystem Designer & Implementer
Edmund is a farm designer with an incredible knowledge base.
Whilst studying Chemistry at Oxford, Edmund discovered permaculture which convinced him that the biological sciences were more appropriate for a sustainable agriculture. This led to the study of root exudates and rhizosphere interactions for his MChem, followed by detailed analysis of the incredible complexity of soil.
He took an internship with Richard Perkins giving him experience of managing small-scale, intensive, regenerative enterprises and provided him with training in Keyline Design, financial planning and farm design. Edmund has used this training and the REX course offered by Darren Doherty as a base from which to develop further skills in whole farm planning and design.
Edmund is also qualified as an Accredited Professional and Trainer in Holistic Management, having completed the training in Holistic Management with Chris and Sheila Cooke. He is also an Ecological Outcome Verification Monitor with the Savory Institute.
He also brings a great deal of practical experience which comes from living and working on a family farm, managing a suckler herd of Aberdeen Angus X cattle.