Joint CEO & NG Session

Vianca Erasmus is Deputy Director: Central Karoo at the Western Cape Department of Agriculture, based in Beaufort West. She specialises in agricultural extension and advisory services for subsistence, smallholder and commercial farmers, helping strengthen farming communities in a region challenged by drought, extreme cold and veld fires. Her work includes coordinating agricultural disaster responses and collaborating with partners to support farmers. Vianca also serves as Commercial and Private Sector Liaison for the Western Cape branch of the South African Society for Agricultural Extension. She holds a master’s degree in Agroecology and Sustainable Agriculture from the University of the Free State.

Kenny Eng is a fourth-generation horticultural farmer and entrepreneur from Singapore. A director of Nyee Phoe Group and Gardenasia, he is part of a family horticulture business with more than 110 years of history. He founded The Local Farm Ventures to support local farmers through market connections, storytelling, education and community engagement. His work promotes food resilience and stronger connections between consumers and producers. In 2026, he published GROUNDED, exploring the Farmer’s Mindset as a guide to leadership, business and life. Kenny also helped organise the 2016 RASC Commonwealth Agriculture Conference in Singapore.

Aled Rhys Jones is a well-known figure in Welsh agriculture and has served as Chief Executive of the Royal Welsh Agricultural Society (RWAS) since 2022.

Aled holds a first-class degree in Land Management from the University of Reading and began his career as a Land Agent before qualifying as a Chartered Surveyor and Agricultural Valuer. Alongside his professional roles, he developed a strong profile as an accomplished public speaker and broadcaster, notably as lead presenter of the Welsh language agricultural news programme Bwletin Amaeth on BBC Radio Cymru and as host of several podcasts.

Patrick Charlton is Alltech’s Vice President for Europe and CEO of Alltech Coppens, a specialist aquaculture feed business acquired by Alltech in 2016. Since joining Alltech UK in 1991, he has held technical, regional and global leadership roles, including positions in Africa and the Middle East, Canada and global management of the company’s Bioplex® organic minerals range. His career spans more than three decades and provides broad experience of Alltech’s international operations and customer partnerships. Patrick graduated from the University of Nottingham and holds a master’s degree in fermentation and distilling from Heriot-Watt University.

Andries Wiese leads the strategic direction and growth of Hollard Insure’s agricultural insurance portfolio. With extensive experience in insurance and agriculture, he understands the diverse challenges facing South African farmers and agricultural businesses. Known for his focused leadership, disciplined execution and relationship-driven approach, Andries is committed to creating sustainable value. He believes effective agricultural insurance starts with recognising that every farming operation, region and risk profile is unique. Together with Hollard’s team of specialists, he combines sector expertise with a partnership-led approach to help clients make informed decisions, protect their businesses and manage risk with confidence.

Will Streatfeild grew up on a mixed family farming enterprise in Dorset, England, where his family produced and marketed cheese and bacon and maintained a long-standing association with the Royal Bath & West Show. Early involvement in the show environment sparked a lifelong appreciation for agricultural societies and their role in supporting rural communities.

After completing a degree in Agriculture at the University of Reading, Will began his career managing one of the United Kingdom’s largest dairy herds, gaining valuable practical experience in livestock production and farm management. He later specialised in agricultural sustainability, joining Alltech E-CO₂, where he worked with farmers, retailers, and processors to measure carbon emissions and develop practical, profitable sustainability solutions across agricultural supply chains.

James Godfrey, a RASC Trustee, has been Chief Executive of the Royal Jersey Agricultural & Horticultural Society (UK) since 1996. He has helped expand its work to include cattle breeding programmes in developing countries, partnering with organisations across Africa, including in Rwanda, Malawi and Zambia. A graduate of the Royal Agricultural College, where he studied Agriculture and Business Management, James has held diverse roles in agriculture and conservation, from managing a family farm to serving as a Ranger at the Wildfowl Trust under Sir Peter Scott. He served as Secretary of the World Jersey Cattle Bureau for eight years and became a Fellow of Royal Agricultural Societies in 2001.

Harry Huddart grew up in North Northumberland before moving to Lincolnshire, then Yorkshire, to pursue a career in farm management for two large corporate businesses farming arable, root crops, beef and sheep. He works with his wife in their family farming business in Northumberland. Harry was co-opted onto the Club Board in 2025, having previously been the Club’s Next Generation delegate at the RASC Conference in Edmonton, Canada, in 2019, and having also attended the RASC’s NG Understanding & Assisting Mission to the Caribbean in 2020. He was appointed as a Trustee in 2026. Harry is Chairman of the University of Newcastle Agricultural Society (UNAS).