2026 BOA Technical Conference – Protecting Your Business
📅 Conference: Wednesday 4th February 2026, 9.00am-4.30pm (exact timings TBC)
📍 Venue: NFU Conference Centre, Stoneleigh
🍽️ Pre-Conference Dinner: Tuesday 3rd February 2026, 7:00pm
📍 Location: Woodland Grange Hotel, Leamington Spa
Join us for the 2026 BOA Technical Conference, the UK’s leading event dedicated to the future of ornamental horticulture. Taking place on 4th February 2026 at the NFU Conference Centre in Stoneleigh, this annual event brings together experts, innovators and growers to explore the latest developments and emerging trends shaping our industry.
Speakers
Dr Minshad Ansari – Bionema Group
Biologicals in Ornamentals: Reducing Chemical Inputs Whilst Boosting Plant Health and Market Value
Dr Minshad Ansari is the CEO and Founder of Bionema Group, a UK-based biotechnology company pioneering the development and commercialisation of next-generation biological solutions that replace synthetic pesticides and fertilisers. With over 25 years of expertise in entomopathogenic microbes, biostimulants, biofertilizers and biosurfactants, Dr Ansari has successfully led the development of over 15 biological products, including patented microencapsulation and biosurfactant technologies that enhance efficacy by up to 30%. Under his leadership, Bionema secured over £2.8 million in competitive grants, a significant licensing deal with Syngenta, and in 2024, received the prestigious King’s Award for Innovation. A strong advocate for regulatory reform and sustainable agriculture, Dr Ansari also founded the World BioProtection Forum, a global platform connecting academia, industry, and policy. He is a regular keynote speaker at international conferences and continues to drive innovation aimed at reducing chemical inputs in farming while boosting productivity, soil health, and environmental safety worldwide.
Eirinn Rusbridge – NFU Energy
Energy Market Insights and How GrowSave Can Help
Eirinn Rusbridge is a Senior Engineer at NFU Energy and the Technical Lead for GrowSave. He is a certified ESOS Lead Assessor, delivering a range of bespoke consultancy services, e.g. feasibility studies, energy audits, and carbon assessments. Additionally, he has a detailed knowledge of environmental incentive, compliance schemes, and energy infrastructure.
Eirinn informs efficiency improvements, cost reductions, and innovation to the protected horticulture sector via GrowSave events and publications. As well, he drives the wider agriculture sector forward with collaborative projects in association with academic institutes and industry-leading businesses.
Richard Hopkins – West Sussex Growers’ Association
If AI Is The Answer, What Is Your Question?
Richard Hopkins is an independent adviser and former Managing Director of Fargro, where he led the management buyout and transformed the company into a forward-thinking, innovative market leader in the commercial horticulture sector.
These days, he helps organisations make sense of strategy, governance, and technology; ideally all at once, and preferably over coffee rather than spreadsheets.
A lifelong problem-solver, Richard has led projects ranging from distributed cloud systems and AI applications to on-site growing innovations, blending digital thinking with human insight for real-world results. He is also Chair of the West Sussex Growers’ Association, a board member of Coast to Capital, the economic development consultancy, and a trustee of the Sussex Archaeological Society, allowing him to combine the very, very old with the very, very new.
Richard believes technology should serve people, not the other way round.
Shaun Herdsman – Accelobrand & Accelopack
Navigating EPR & Plastic Packaging Tax in Ornamental Horticulture
Shaun Herdsman is a sustainability-driven entrepreneur specialising in packaging innovation for the horticulture and fresh produce industries. As UK Sales Manager for PulpVision and co-founder of Accelopack, Shaun champions the transition away from single-use plastics towards packaging that aligns with both environmental goals and legislative requirements. With a career rooted in horticulture and supply chain partnerships, he works closely with growers, packers, and retailers to deliver practical, scalable solutions that reduce reliance on plastic, improve automation performance, and create measurable savings under EPR and Plastic Packaging Tax frameworks. Shaun’s expertise spans product development, Amazon marketplace management, and brand building, giving him a unique perspective on both B2B and consumer trends. Passionate about helping UK growers stay competitive in a changing regulatory landscape, he provides actionable insights that blend compliance, cost efficiency, and sustainability.
Simon Conway – Horticulture Crop Protection
Simon Conway is HCP’s part time CEO. Simon comes from a family farming background and has worked within the fresh produce and horticulture sector for 35 years. He holds a master’s in business administration. During his long career with Vitacress Ltd, he was commercial director and then managing director of Vitacress Herbs ltd. Most recently, he was managing director of Vitacress Salads Ltd, which grows open field, leafy salads, spinach, watercress and herbs at farming locations in southern England as well as in Portugal and Spain. Simon was vice chairman of West Sussex Growers association for four years and is a business mentor for Flourish in Food. He is chair of British Tomatoes and a Board member of Veg power CIC.
Peter Marshall – Volta Exo Systems
A leading UK expert in home and commercial battery storage, Peter Marshall is the founder of Volta Eco Systems. His 35-year career as an architect validates his focus on delivering technically robust energy solutions that provide savings and security for homes and businesses.
Stefan Reiner – Selecta One
RCS 2.0 – Redefining Plant Propagation. Raising the Standard
Stefan’s career has been dedicated to bridging growers, breeders, and markets across three continents. From managing global product portfolios to building Selecta’s North American presence, he’s always believed success comes from listening closely to customers while driving innovation forward. Today, Stefan leads Product Development at Selecta One, where his team explores genetics, new product forms, and cutting-edge technologies to deliver solutions that work across the entire value chain. For him, it’s about people, plants, and progress.
Alan Roper – Blue Diamond
Alan Roper is the Managing Director of Blue Diamond Garden Centres, one of the UK’s largest and fastest-growing garden centre retailers, renowned for its innovative and customer-centric approach to garden retail. Under his leadership, Blue Diamond has expanded its portfolio to 52 garden centres across the UK and Channel Islands in 2025, with a turnover exceeding £390 million in 2024.
Well-known for his strategic leadership and passion for creating exceptional retail experiences, Alan has redefined garden centres, focusing on premium environments, lifestyle integration, and customer engagement. His approach has turned Blue Diamond into a destination brand, setting new standards in the sector.
As a respected voice in the industry, Alan has been a keynote speaker at major events such as HTA’s ‘Cultivating Retail’, Garden Industry Manufacturers Association (GIMA) and has received multiple accolades, including the Institute of Directors’ Director of the Year Award in Guernsey. He continues championing innovation, emotional intelligence in leadership, and sustainable growth in garden retail.
With a deep commitment to excellence and a forward-thinking approach, Alan continues to shape the future of garden retail, ensuring Blue Diamond remains at the forefront of the industry.
Sean Whitworth – Fargro Ltd
Sean Whitworth has worked in horticulture for 36 years, beginning as a horticultural worker at P.A. Moerman’s before progressing to Grower Manager at Kingfisher Nursery and Westside Nursery in Lincolnshire. Over a 29-year period, he specialised in the production of houseplants and ornamental crops before joining Fargro in 2018 as their Growing Media and Fertiliser Specialist. In this role, Sean works with growers across the UK, supporting them with crop solutions, fertilisation, and the transition to peat-reduced and peat-free substrates. He finds the most rewarding part of his work is engaging with growers—learning from them and sharing knowledge in Fargro’s holistic approach to growing.
Beth Anderson – YPHA
Beth was a career changer into horticulture and for the past five years she’s specialised in protecting plant health. Recently Beth made the leap to “the other side” of the industry, taking on the role of managing a retail nursery in Bristol. Having recently completed the YPHA lateral skills programme, she’s particularly interested in exploring innovation and the future of horticulture. Beth lives in Bristol with her cat Spinach, and has a soft spot for Begonias.
Tim Parfitt – Beadamoss
Tim Parfitt is the General Manager of BeadaMoss (Micropropagation Services), a pioneering UK company dedicated to producing Sphagnum moss for peatland restoration and sustainable horticulture. Building on BeadaMoss’s leading work in restoring degraded peatlands, the company is now advancing innovative methods to cultivate Sphagnum as a peat-free alternative growing medium. Tim joined BeadaMoss as R&D manager, with a background in agricultural field trials, bringing practical experience in scaling and commercialising new technologies to develop Sphagnum Farming. Since he was appointed General Manager last year, he’s focused on expanding production, building research partnerships, and helping to make Sphagnum a viable, sustainable replacement for peat in horticulture, along with his Sphagnum Farming R&D team of 4 and Peatland Restoration production team of 35.
Other confirmed speakers include:
- Matthias Redlefsen – Benary
The evening before the main event, we warmly invite you to our Pre-Conference Dinner on Tuesday 3rd February at the Woodland Grange Hotel. Beginning at 7:00pm, the dinner will feature two speakers:
Guy Moreton – MorePeople
A graduate of Nottingham University’s School of Agriculture, Guy is a sales and marketing specialist who helped pioneer the marketing of cut flowers and plants to multiple retailers in the UK in the 1980’s and held Commercial Director and Managing Director roles in some of the country’s largest produce and horticultural businesses before setting up MorePeople in 2000.
MorePeople is a specialist Recruitment business serving the Food, Agriculture & Horticulture sectors and covering a huge range of functions and permanent full-time roles from circa £25K salaries right up to Main Board Directors.
He is a Freeman of The City of London and a Liveryman of both the Worshipful Company of Fruiterers and The Worshipful Company of Gardeners and spends (too much) time following Peterborough United!!!
Mike Smith – W D Smith
Michael is the 3rd generation of W. D. Smith & Son family business based at Wickford in Essex. The nursery has been growing seasonal colour and veg for over 80 years. The business also owns Meadow Croft Garden Centre.
Michael is also chair of the group managing ‘Floral Fantasia’ at RHS Hyde Hall.
We will also be presenting our prestigious annual awards, including:
- The Trumpet Blowers Award
- The Alan Hendy Award
- The Pot Plant Growers Award
- The Bright Spark Award
- The Chair’s Choice Award – sponsored by HortWeek
- The MorePeople Award
This celebratory evening is a fantastic opportunity to connect with colleagues and peers in a relaxed and sociable setting.
🎟️ Ticket Information
- Early Bird offers available until 30th November 2025 for both in-person and virtual attendance.
- BOA members can access exclusive discounts – please email info@britishornamentals.org before booking via Eventbrite.
- Don’t miss our “Under 35 for £35” offer – making the conference accessible for young professionals looking to build their future in horticulture.
Sponsorship opportunities are available for this event, please contact us for further details: info@britishornamentals.org
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