Wyevale Nurseries supplies landscape contractors, local authorities, foresters, landowners and garden centres with a comprehensive array of trees, shrubs, hedging, herbaceous and specimen plants.
In her new role for Wyevale Nurseries, Kersten Catella will be focused on driving the company’s mission. Prior to her current appointment, she worked as the Sales and Marketing Director at Boningale Ltd and General Manager at Newey Young Plants. Catella’s expertise spans from managing large-scale production sites to leading sales and marketing teams, where she has been instrumental in driving growth, innovation, and market expansion. Her leadership and strategic vision have significantly influenced the horticultural landscape, making her a highly respected figure in the industry.
Catella spent two years, 2017-2019, as Chair of the British Protected Ornamentals Association (BPOA), representing growers and allied trade within the horticulture sector. Having previously been elected as Vice Chair at BPOA, she moved into the Chair role to assist the trade association with its growth plans. She has also been a Board Member of the National Farmers Union (NFU), 2017-2019, which has more than 55,000 members across England and Wales. While there, Catella was responsible for helping ensure farmers’ voices were heard.
“I am very excited to have joined a company that is held in such high esteem within the industry and to be working alongside a senior team with such a breadth of expertise. I’m delighted to be steering Wyevale Nurseries’ vision and mission to become a recognised leader in the horticulture industry and to contribute significantly to the greening of our nation’s landscapes and gardens, whilst operating safely and sustainably from both a company and customer perspective. With over two decades of experience in the horticulture industry, specifically within the import and export sector, I have honed my skills in guiding business strategy, optimising supply chains, and ensuring compliance with complex regulatory environments. My experience in both corporate governance and strategic planning has been instrumental in driving growth and improving board performance across various organisations,” said Catella.
Andy Johnson, Managing Director of Wyevale Nurseries, says: “I am delighted to welcome Kersten into the Wyevale Nurseries’ senior management team. With her wealth of industry experience, energy and zeal, we are already seeing a great positive impact on our team and our key development projects. I look forward to working with Kersten to realise more of Wyevale Nurseries’ potential as we seek to develop our offering and customer experience further.”
Wyevale Nurseries’ Chairman, Heather Williamson, whose grandfather started the company 94 years ago, explains: “Kersten comes to us with extensive knowledge of our sector and an infectious enthusiasm. Her appointment has significantly strengthened our team. She has what we need to give us that extra vigour to propel us into our next vital phase of development.”
In her new role, Catella will be participating in the season entitled ‘Healthy Plant for the Future – Keeping our Industry Pest & Disease Resilient’ at the forthcoming Horticultural Trades Association (HTA) Conference on September 25th. Chaired by Pippa Greenwood, she will be joined by Fera Science Senior Nematologist, Bex Lawson, Head of Tree Health Policy and Plant Health Science at Defra, Lisa Smith and Fera Science Senior Plant Bacteriologist, Joana Vicente.