Having studied Horticulture at the University of Greenwich, Rupert has completed numerous executive business courses at Harvard Business School, Loughborough Business School, Cranfield Business School. He is a Liveryman of The Worshipful Company of Fruiterers and in 2003 was made a Freeman of The City of London.

The 3 things you need to know about Rupert are the following:

Rupert is a highly efficient company director and investor. Known for his commercial vision and keen eye for opportunities Rupert puts his teams and their personal development at the centre of all high growth plans.

Rupert has become a highly respected figure in the berry industry worldwide working with many international breeding programmes, growers and marketing companies covering in excess of 50 countries. The foresight to develop berry varietal trials, commercial strategies and varietal protection throughout the world proved invaluable to the rapid success of Global Plant Genetics.

Rupert lives with his partner Davidia on the coast in Norfolk, England where he enjoys spending quality time with his son Fred and walking his dog. He can often be found in a swimming pool, sailing, kayaking or on an SUP. He has a strong passion for horse racing which can take him anywhere from Newmarket to Chantilly, Dubai to California. He is a keen traveller, loves cooking and has an affection for quality wine and fine dining.

Jamie Petchell is a co-founder and Director of Global Plant Genetics (GPG), helping to shape how modern fruit genetics are developed, protected, and commercialised around the world. He leads the company’s global efforts in blueberries alongside a range of other strategic crops, working at the intersection of breeding, intellectual property, and international markets.

With more than two decades of experience across the horticultural and IP sectors, Jamie is widely respected for his technical depth and commercial insight into varietal development across the world’s major growing regions. He works closely with plant breeders, IP teams, nurseries, growers, and fresh produce businesses in more than 40 countries to design long-term breeding strategies, build sustainable licensing models, and guide new varieties from concept to global adoption.

Jamie plays a central role in defining GPG’s long-term vision, international expansion, and partnership strategy. His work focuses on building scalable frameworks that support growth into new territories and production systems, while creating lasting value for breeders, growers, and the wider industry.

He is an alumnus of the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses programme, including residential placements at Saïd Business School, University of Oxford, and has completed executive education at Cranfield School of Management and Loughborough School of Business. He is a Freeman of the City of London and a member of the Worshipful Company of Fruiterers.

Based in Stamford, UK, Jamie travels extensively as part of GPG’s global footprint. Outside of work, he is a keen cyclist, enjoys live music, is an enthusiastic reader, and an ever-improving cook.

Soufiane made a strategic career transition several years ago to enter the agricultural sector, driven by a strong passion for plants, food production, and modern, sustainable growing systems. Since then, he has built a solid and diversified professional profile, combining technical expertise with a highly practical, field-oriented approach. He brings extensive experience in berry production, plant propagation, and integrated pest and crop management (IPM), gained through hands-on work across the European Union, North Africa, and the Middle East.

Throughout his career, Soufiane has worked closely with growers, nurseries, and commercial partners, supporting them from the early stages of plant establishment through to production optimization. His deep understanding of production cycles, varietal behavior, and market-driven timelines allows him to provide tailored solutions that align agronomic performance with commercial objectives. His ability to anticipate challenges in the field and respond proactively has made him a trusted point of contact for partners operating in demanding and fast-moving agricultural environments.

With a strong passion for travel and international collaboration, Soufiane has lived and worked in multiple European countries, gaining valuable insight into diverse production systems, climates, and business cultures. After exploring various regions, he chose to establish himself in Spain, in the Huelva area – one of Europe’s most important berry production hubs. Being based in the field enables him to maintain close, day-to-day contact with growers, monitor crop performance firsthand, and respond quickly to operational needs.

Soufiane is fluent in five languages – Spanish, English, French, Arabic, and German, which allows him to communicate seamlessly with international clients and partners, facilitating efficient collaboration and long-term relationships. Before joining the agricultural sector, he built a strong professional background in the sports and physical therapy industry, where he developed a results-driven mindset, discipline, and a strong focus on performance, all of which now translate into his commercial and technical work in agriculture.

Beyond his professional role, Soufiane places great value on family and balance. He continues to nurture his long-standing interests in sports and photography, passions that reflect his attention to detail, creativity, and commitment to continuous improvement – qualities that also define his professional philosophy and the way he supports partners and clients.

Sadie has been part of the Global Plant Genetics team since its first year of inception and has become integral to the day-to-day success of the operation. With broad, hands-on experience across office management and administration, she keeps core business functions running smoothly while ensuring a professional, responsive experience for both customers and suppliers.
A confident, clear communicator, Sadie strengthens relationships externally and creates clarity internally—anticipating needs, resolving issues quickly, and maintaining high standards across key administrative areas. Her highly organised approach and “can-do” mindset mean colleagues can rely on her.
Sadie strives to enable a smooth operation of the business.

4 things to know about Sadie
She began her further education in Hospitality and Tourism, then broadened her career into office management—bringing strong service, organisation, and people skills into every role.
She has spent most of her career in office environments across a wide range of organisations and roles, including a multinational consumer goods business, giving her a strong foundation in professional, fast-paced settings.
She is an excellent communicator, using this strength to ensure office functions at Global Plant Genetics run seamlessly and stakeholders feel supported.
Outside of work, she is a busy parent to two young children and dog mum to one beagle!

Anna has a background in recruitment, company administration and leading various project roll-outs. With management experience in Retail and FMCG, including in export and shipping, she has developed a determined can-do attitude – useful attributes for running her own various businesses.

Things that you need to know about Anna are:
She started her career as a Beauty Therapist opening a salon at the then new Canary Wharf development in London Docklands.

Anna has previously run her own Transport Café for 13 years
A passionate house renovator about to embark on the dream ‘big project’.
She is known as The ‘Imelda Marcos’ of Cambridgeshire! With her passion for shoes, she is in possession of over 50 pairs, This is just her summer collection.

Eloise started her design and marketing career within the fashion industry. Graduating from London Ravensbourne University in Fashion Design, she developed a strong interest in graphic design, social media, and marketing.

Now six years into her marketing career, Eloise has built broad experience working across fashion, finance, e-commerce, and the charity sector – with mental health being a particular passion of hers.

The four things you need to know about Eloise:

She can often be found hiking (usually with Aurora) and picking up a good coffee along the way.
Eloise loves spending time cooking.
Eloise is a foodie, enjoying everything from fine dining to street food from around the world, and most deffinalty a sweet treat.

With a curated focus on design and marketing, Eloise is always drawn to thoughtful branding, typography, digital design, and campaigns that blend creativity with strategy.

After a long and successful career in advertising sales Shaun joined GPG 3 years ago and brings a strong commercial background and understanding to his role
He is a good communicator, building strong relationships with the breeders we represent and particularly with our growing number of licensees across the globe. His attention to detail ensures accuracy and consistency with royalty requests and reports.
 
Three things to know about Shaun
As a keen motorcyclist he enjoys road trips in both the UK and Europe, with wife Sue as a willing pillion!
Spare time is shared between gardening, golf, walking (particularly in and around the Peak District National Park), and socialising with friends.
A former amateur rugby player, Shaun is a big Northampton Saints fan and follows them in Domestic and European competitions

Claire Donkin is a specialist agronomist and technical leader with extensive experience in agronomy, crop research and international horticultural development. She has a strong track record of supporting growers, breeders and produce businesses through innovation, technical excellence and the delivery of commercially meaningful projects.

Claire has held senior technical roles within multinational and speciality fresh produce organisations, working directly with top-tier British and European retailers and helping businesses expand in technical complexity, performance and customer delivery.

With BASIS and FACTS qualifications and a long-standing commitment to applied research, Claire is highly regarded for translating the latest scientific findings into practical guidance for producers across a range of climates and growing systems. She has developed strong international networks in research, funding and commercial horticulture, helping deliver improved outcomes for growers globally.

Based in Leominster, UK, Claire combines her professional work with being a mum and the management of her family farm. She’s an active consumer of both books and wine, a keen vegetarian cook and a slow but persistent runner.

5 Things You Need to Know About Claire
Claire is a recognised specialist in asparagus agronomy, research and global crop development.
She has led technical strategy for multinational and speciality produce businesses from an early stage in her career.
Claire delivers innovation-focused agronomic projects that directly support growers and commercial supply chains worldwide.
She is BASIS and FACTS qualified, with additional expertise in food safety, auditing and professional training.
Claire is known for building strong links between research and real-world grower success, ensuring technical advances translate into practical results.

Izabela is plant and Seed Coordinator with extensive experience across agricultural industries since 2011, including hands-on work with a wide range of crops such as berries and flowers. Brings strong plant knowledge, practical problem-solving skills, and a proactive approach to crop protection and coordination.

Graduated with first-class honours in Business with Marketing from ARU Cambridge, with a strong commitment to continuous personal and professional development. Known for embracing challenges and acquiring practical skills beyond the traditional role including qualification as a forklift driver.

Internationally experienced, having lived and worked in Italy, The Netherlands, and the UK. Spent almost a year in Palermo learning the Italian language and culture and previously worked in Manchester as a Customer Service Advisor at National Express. Now based in Frampton.

Outside of work, enjoys organic gardening, reading, and creative writing. Loves a good thriller series, has a strong interest in Italian culture, and firmly avoids romantic comedies.

Bonnie Neugebauer graduated from Nottingham Trent University with a degree in Law and is currently working towards her Solicitor’s Qualification and master’s in legal Practice. During her studies, she discovered a strong passion for Intellectual Property law, an area that has continued to inspire her professional ambitions.

Bonnie’s experience spans several fields, including working with Citizens Advice, supporting legal teams as a Legal Assistant, and managing cleaning teams, where she developed valuable organisational and leadership skills.

This combination of legal and practical experience has given her a well-rounded and adaptable approach to her work.

Four things to know about Bonnie:
Can speak three languages.
She enjoys clay pigeon shooting, combining focus and precision.
She teaches karate to children, sharing her discipline and enthusiasm for the sport.
She is currently training her new kitten — though with mixed results so far!

Dom brings a dynamic blend of creativity and strategy to the company’s digital presence, with experience in content creation, camera operation, and video editing. Before joining the team, he worked on freelance projects for brands and charities, including one with Roberto Carlos!

He also founded his own social media agency, where he honed his passion for storytelling and engaging marketing. A Sports Exercise and Therapy graduate from Anglia Ruskin University, Dom combines analytical thinking with creativity to deliver campaigns that truly connect with audiences.

The 5 things you need to know about Dom are the following:

He’s completed three marathons at impressive paces and even conquered a 100km ultramarathon without stopping.

A passionate traveller, Dom captures his adventures through cinematic vlog-style videos, reliving those moments with family and friends.

Before all that, he competed professionally in esports, traveling internationally to represent his team on a global stage.

Today, Dom channels his energy into personal development mentorship, helping others grow, set bold goals, and achieve them.

Above all, he’s inspired by the art of storytelling, creating cinematic content that motivates, entertains, and connects.