Behind The Fruit - The Fresh Produce Podcast

In this episode of Behind the Fruit, Lucy Robinson speaks with Patrick Hook, former CEO of AVO America, about leadership across cultures, private equity in agriculture, and why mindset matters more than technical expertise. Patrick’s career spans forestry, timber private equity, Harvard’s natural resources portfolio, and operational leadership across Chile and Peru. He shares how a solo walk across Italy shaped his career direction, what he learned moving from investment into operating leader...

In this episode of Behind the Fruit, Lucy Robinson speaks with John Elliott, Founder of ELR Executive in Sydney, Australia. With nearly 30 years in executive search across FMCG, fresh produce and food & beverage manufacturing, John shares: 🍏 How executive hiring has evolved over three decades 📦 Why supply chain leadership is now mission-critical in fresh 📊 The commercial shift in founder-led produce businesses 🤝 What separates strong leaders from struggling ones 🧠 ...

The conversation delves into Mark's journey to leadership, his non-traditional route, the role of values, the evolution of his management style, hiring for growth and diversity, traits for senior roles, assessing curiosity in interviews, and deliberate growth of leaders. Key takeaways include the importance of empowering others and the critical role of curiosity and a love of learning in leadership. The conversation delves into the impact of leadership experience, emphasizing the value of peo...

The conversation covers Jorge Reig's career transition from finance to the fresh produce industry, his experience as a managing director, strategic and transformational work, managing teams through change, achieving growth in fresh produce, and his desired legacy and advice for future leaders in the industry. Key takeaways include insights into career transitions and leadership skills. Takeaways * Career Transition * Leadership Skills Chapters * 00:00 Career Transition and Fresh Produ...

In this episode of Behind the Fruit, Lucy is joined by CarrieAnn Arias for an honest conversation about stepping into leadership at the very top. CarrieAnn shares her journey from VP to CEO, what that shift really changes day to day, and how her view of leadership has evolved along the way. They talk openly about leading remote teams, building trust and culture when people aren’t in the same room, and what CEOs are actually responsible for once the title changes. The conversation also explo...

The conversation covers Ele Gower's journey in the fresh produce industry, her experience in Ethiopia, and her role at One Acre Fund. It delves into the challenges of career progression, understanding good growth, hiring challenges, culture fit, and remote hiring. Ele shares advice for the next generation of leaders in the fresh produce industry, emphasising the importance of passion, leadership, and overcoming challenges. Takeaways * Passion for Fresh Produce * Leadership and Management ...