The European Crop Protection Industry (ECPA) has announced the appointment of Graeme Taylor as its new Director of Public Affairs.
ECPA acts as the ambassador of the crop protection industry in Europe and represents the industry's European regional network. Taylor will have overarching responsibility for developing and implementing public affairs strategies in order to foster relationships both with the EU institutions and the Brussels media. His remit will be to ensure the organisation acts as a strong voice in demonstrating the benefits the industry brings to sustainable agriculture and society as a whole.
Taylor founded Public Affairs and Communication Consultancy, Taylor Insights, and brings 15 years of experience working in public service at national, international and multilateral level. Taylor is a former European Commission communication advisor, spending four years on communications strategies and media relations campaigns, promoting the work of DG Santé, the Commission’s directorate general for health and consumers. Prior to the Commission, Taylor was a civil servant for the UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs as well as Agriculture Attaché at the UK Representation to the EU.
Jean-Charles Bocquet, Director General of ECPA said: "Graeme joins ECPA at a crucial time for our industry. His experience in public service, particularly his understanding of how Brussels works, combined with his communication expertise, will be vital to us as we work to address the many challenges we face."
Graeme Taylor commented: "It is a privilege to be able to take up this position in an industry that plays such a vital role in providing safe and sustainable food for us all. Feeding a planet with an estimated population of 9 billion by 2050 is one of the biggest challenges facing society: I look forward to being involved in that debate, and addressing the many misconceptions that surround the crop protection industry."