Meet the Team
Senior Staff
Mark Coxeter
I oversee the complete Meiosis business. I am the main commercial contact for the company, liaising with berry fruit breeders and their tech transfer offices. I travel widely to maintain business contacts, whilst also seeking new business opportunities and forging new relationships. I report to the Meiosis Board of Directors and together we handle strategical matters for the company.
Tony Vallance
I have worked for major berry importers and fruit marketing companies as a Technical Manager since 1998. My previous roles have included compliance management, due diligence, variety trials, and working with plant breeders and growers to introduce improved new varieties to the market. I joined Meiosis in May 2017 as Senior Technical Manager with overall responsibility for the technical function in Meiosis and the Nuclear Stock Association.
Rodney Aidoo
I am responsible for finance and administration functions and supporting the CEO in all non-technical aspects of the business. This involves interaction with all legal and reporting authorities, oversight of all aspects of internal control systems and their improvement, financial and management reporting. My role also comprises communicating financial implications of plans and decisions and contributing to the strategic direction and growth of the business.
Myriam Mannering
I have worked for Meiosis for 20 years, previously as the Office Manager. In my new position I will provide focus to key varieties from NIAB EMR and international breeding programmes. My French and Spanish language skills and experience in the industry enables me to negotiate and build good relationships with our international partners
Administration Team
Laura Amos
My role is to enable the smooth running of the office including producing and distributing licences for propagation, sales and trials for the growing and evaluation of our soft fruit varieties and working with other staff members to provide a good service to propagators and growers. Further aspects of my role involve working closely with our CEO and other members of Meiosis, managing the office calendar and organising travel/trips, meetings and exhibitions worldwide as well as processing paperwork and responding to queries.
Alicja Borkowska
I assist the Office Administrator and Programmes Manager in manifold aspects of the smooth running of our office. I make arrangements for foreign travel and exhibitions, interpret and translate to and from Polish and screen for illegal sales and propagation. I process and file paperwork, receive telephone calls, welcome and provide refreshments for our visitors.
Daniel Smith
My role chiefly involves dealing with propagators and overseeing the licencing of materials delivered to fruit producers, as well as propagation, sales and trials licencing. I monitor and update the accounts of licenced growers and assist in making sure that payments are duly processed. I also work on auditing and illegal propagation.
Clare Stubbington
My role involves processing financial transactions for the company and working with colleagues to support the CEO and Company Accountant to ensure the smooth running of the company.
Technical and NSA Team
Dr David Taylor
I provide technical support to the Chief Executive Officer and other members of staff. Other aspects of my role include writing technical reports, variety description leaflets and promotional literature, preparation of, reviewing and editing licence documents. Compiling and arranging applications for Plant Variety Rights and other forms of intellectual property protection. Working with other colleagues to arrange the maintenance, propagation and supply of plant material for trials worldwide.
Sarah Troop
Working at Meiosis since 1999 I have been involved in technical matters associated with the development of new breeding selections and cultivars including trial plant propagation and supply, monitoring of trials, the collation and dissemination of trials data and royalty auditing. I also have close involvement with the work of the Nuclear Stock Association Ltd, which provides the highest health planting stocks to the fruit industry. My current part-time role within the technical team continues my involvement in variety development and high health plant production.
Magda Steele
My role is to support the technical team which involves processing trials plant orders and collating results, preparing applications for legal protection of varieties and keeping everyone up to date with trade news including producing the Associate Member’s Newsletter. Other aspects of my role are auditing, visiting trial sites and assisting with stock maintenance and disease testing for the NSA.
Kirsty McLeary
Kirsty joined Meiosis in 2017 and spends most of her time at the NSA high health facility in Kent. Kirsty’s responsibilities include the testing, maintenance and production of the highest health Pre-Basic stocks for supply to the soft fruit industry.
Christine Lewis
Christine assists at the NSA high health facility in Kent. Christine’s specialties include pathogen testing and maintenance of the Pre-Basic stocks for supply to the soft fruit industry.
Monica Leggate
Monica administers the Fruit Propagation Certification Scheme.
Officials
Mr Christopher Woods – Chairman
Dr Paul Walpole – Director
Mr Jeremy Darby – Director