Meet Our People

Experience meets innovation, expertise meets dedication.

Our team unites decades of experience in environmental finance, food processing and entomology, with a genuine, shared belief that UK agriculture needs better solutions.

The Executive Team

Leading a trail-blazing team, with experience founded on farming knowledge and scientific rigour.

Fairman Knight & Sons
William Fairman
Co-founder & Chief Farming Officer
Bio

An independent UK broiler farmer with more than 35 years’ experience in farming leadership, operating at the forefront of the industry. William is focused on practical delivery and operational excellence, bringing deep on‑farm insight to everything as we scale.

Julian Knight Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer
Julian Knight
Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer
Bio

Former RAF pilot and finance leader, Julian has more than 30 years’ experience across global markets and derivatives. Bringing long-standing commitment to climate solutions and carbon markets, Julian is a leader, committed to building UK farming systems that are resilient, investable and future‑proof.

Mark Aitchison
Mark Aitchison
Executive Chairman Director
Bio

Agriculture and industry run through Mark’s veins. A recognised leader in the industry, Mark has decades of senior experience, including building and leading Frontier Agriculture and brings commercial rigour and governance oversight to the table as we grow.

The Board

The voices guiding our strategy, commerciality and accountability.

Erika Knight Head of People
Erika Knight
Board Secretary & Head of People
Bio

More than 15 years’ experience as an executive director and 10 years as a creative director, coordinating and leading teams across multiple sectors – Erika has a proven track record, working across heavy haulage logistics and events management for FTSE 100 Companies. Focused on building a people-first culture that can grow with the operation, Erika’s intuition is a guiding light for the business.

Geoff Meacock
Geoff Meacock
Non Executive Director
Bio

More than 30 years in food and feed processing, and extensive experience supporting Innovate UK grant writing and mentoring, Geoff brings practical insight into scaling a business in what is a heavily regulated, production-led environment.

Ed Hauck
Ed Hauck
Non Exectutive Director
Bio

A brand builder with more than 25 years’ experience across global consumer brands, including Puma, L’Oreal, Oakley and Levi Strauss, Ed has also founded many of his own brands that are now on the shelves in the UK’s largest supermarkets. Ed provides invaluable input across brand strategy and go‑to‑market clarity.

Entomology Team

The experts who look after the science behind our operations.

Hatem Karboul Senior Entomologist
Hatem Karboul
Senior Entomologist
Bio

Entomologist and insect farming specialist with more than 7 years’ international experience scaling black soldier fly operations, Hatem’s knowledge and insight are vital to production efficiency, process optimisation and science‑led decision-making.

Yasmine Karboul Applied Entemologist
Yasmine Zoghlami
Entomologist
Bio

Entomologist and R&D engineer with international experience across three continents, Yasmine works at the intersection of science and innovation to advance insect nutrition, process optimisation and scalable production, driven by a belief that insects can play a transformative role in building a more sustainable and resilient food system.

Production Team

The first-generation of insect farmers

A true family operation in motion – with William and Julian and Erika’s sons leading the production team, they are the trailblazers of this industry – the first generation of UK insect farmers.

Paving the way for the industry and carving out a path for younger generations that are ready to embrace the innovation thatʼs changing the very landscape of British agriculture.

Thomas Barrie Production Team
Thomas Barrie
Insect Factory Supervisor
Bobby Fairman Production Team
Bobby Fairman
Insect Factory Operator
Zephyer Hillyer Knight Production Team
Zephyr Hillyer-Knight
Insect Factory Operator
James Irvine Production Team
James Irvine
Insect Factory Operator

Office Team

Keeping the business running as it should, and evolving as operations scale up.

Sarah Thomas Office Manager
Sarah Thomas
Office Manager
Bodhi Hillyer Knight Commercial Team and Insect Operator
Bodhi Hillyer-Knight
Business Development Lead
Fairman Knight & Sons
Olivia Stedman
Finance Manager

Going beyond leadership:

It’s the people who shape how we work and what we stand for…

Our work sits at the meeting point of farming, engineering and biology, so our culture has to be practical and precise. We lead with outcomes, speak plainly, and do the operational work that turns big ideas into reliable systems. We prefer proof rather than puffery, and we translate science into clear, human language without losing the detail that matters.

Erika Knight, Head of People

Help us build a better future

We are building something that matters.

Do you want in?

If you believe in better farming, cleaner supply chains and practical climate solutions, we would love to hear from you.

The future of agriculture is being built right now in Lincolnshire.

Be part of it.