NFU Cymru has recently appointed a new team to look after all members’ needs in the Hay-on-Wye group office

Made up of Senior Group Secretary Mark Simpson and Assistant Group Secretary Sioned Davies, the new team took over the running of the agency on Monday, April 1.

Many members will recognise Mr Simpson from his previous role as Senior Agent and Group Secretary in the Brecon agency, a position he has held since 2009. During his time there, he has enjoyed developing long term business relationships with new and existing customers and members based on trust, advice and recommendations tailored to individual business needs and requirements.

Speaking about his appointment, Mr Simpson said: “I am looking forward to the opportunity to forge new relationships with clients and members of the Hay-on-Wye Agency moving forward, covering a broad spectrum of businesses from farming to large commercial entities, all while continuing to support NFU Cymru members with all their farming needs.”

Sioned Davies grew up on a beef and sheep farm in Merthyr Cynog and studied Agri-food Marketing with Business Studies at Harper Adams, completing a placement year as part of the agricultural team at Co-op Food in Manchester. After graduating, she worked for Oxbury Bank and completed a variety of roles including positions within sales, credit and risk and product. Sioned took a six-month sabbatical travelling to Colorado and South America, looking at a variety of farming systems.

Speaking about her appointment, Ms Davies said: “I am very much looking forward to joining the NFU Cymru team and getting out and meeting members and supporting them through this pivotal time for the industry.”

NFU Cymru Director John Mercer said: “I am thrilled that we have been able to appoint both Mark and Sioned to serve the needs of our members in the area. “

“I have no doubt that with Mark’s experience and Sioned’s passion for the industry, as well as her background, the members of NFU Cymru in Hay-on-Wye and the surrounding area will now have excellent support from them both,” he added.