Meet the transformation table

Bringing together cross-system voices to explore what it really means to rebuild public and commercial trust in food, and how to turn shared responsibility into practical action. Influential voices from farming, retail, manufacturing investing, policy, campaigning and the next generation came together to say what usually goes unsaid.

Nigel Murray

  • As a leader of a SME scale food retailer and manufacturer operating within the North of England I am keen that smaller businesses and those from all parts of the UK can input meaningfully into the wide ranging conversations focussed on our food systems.  Given the cross-section of members of the Transformation Table our success should be judged on impact whether through incremental nudges or ultimately large scale transformations. I look forward to open, honest, non-partisan conversations with a group of committed people who can see that our Food System needs to change for the better.

Professor Ken Sloan

  • Education and skills will drive the future productivity and success of our food industry. To support the next generation, it needs open and honest conversations on what skills and experiences are needed from learners and graduates, and a collaborative approach across all players to make this a reality. I welcome the chance to be in these system shifting conversations to contribute and, perhaps most importantly, to learn. There is much we should be optimistic about.

Claire Hughes

  • Claire has a wealth of experience in retail, over 20 years having worked for Safeway, M&S and Sainsbury’s across a number of roles.

    During her career in retail she has worked across own label brands delivering consumer centric innovation, health and packaging reformulation programmes and leading branding, design and on pack communications. Claire has used her leadership and collaborative style to engage and drive these strategic initiatives within retail.

    Claire is a nutritionist by background and has a real passion about making sustainable and healthy diets accessible and affordable for all.

    Claire has also been Chair of INCPEN (Industry ) for 6 years and organisation who has been at the heart of the packaging reforms and is a Trustee of the British Nutrition Foundation.

Jack Warburton

  • “The challenges the food industry faces are incredibly complex and can't be solved without people coming together. For me, this is an amazing opportunity to contribute towards a group of diverse voices all focussed on achieving the same thing for our industry.”

Mallika Basu

  • “As a food writer, communicator and adviser, I often feel that national conversations about the future of food - sustainability, health, and how we eat - happen without diverse voices, deep understanding of food culture or the perspective of food lovers and home cooks. I joined the Transformation Table because it feels like a bold move to bridge those divides and join the dots between different parts of the food system, creating practical solutions that bring joy as well as support better choices in the busy, pressured lives we all lead - part of my ongoing mission to use food as a force for good.” 

     

    Mallika Basu is a strategic adviser and food writer specialising in culture, diversity and sustainability in food. She brings over two decades of experience in communications and commercial strategy, alongside hands-on experience running a spice brand. The author of two cookbooks, her third - In Good Taste: What Shapes What We Eat and Drink and Why It Matters - will be published by in January 2026. Through her writing, teaching and advisory work, she champions food as a force for good, helping individuals and organisations navigate the nuances and connect the dots shaping what we eat and drink today. 

Ali Cargill

  • Too many food-system conversations forget the soil. The further food gets from it, the more we lose sight of what really matters. Transformation doesn't only happen in boardrooms - it happens when growers, buyers and policymakers sit at the same table and ask harder questions together. I want to see us move towards supply chains built on shared risk, real transparency and health outcomes that matter from soil to shelf. This moment represents a chance to rebuild trust from the ground up - linking what we grow to what people eat, and proving that better farming can drive better business for everyone.

Will Jennings

  • A thriving, sustainable and effective food system is integral to the nations health, resilience, security and success. As a dynamic and complex system it faces constant challenges but also innumerable, evolving opportunities. It's a privilege to be involved with such a diverse group seeking to positively and proactively support the sector. 

Lorna Schneider

  • Manufacturing plays a critical role in the food system, influencing progress up and down the chain. The Transformation Table is a rare space to bring together diverse perspectives and confront the real tensions we face - from climate and health to trust and affordability. Honest dialogue matters, especially when it comes to the role of meat in sustainable diets. This is a moment to listen, challenge and build solutions that are workable in the real world.

Riley Jackson

  • A trailblazer in the future of food, with 8+ years shaping the alternative protein landscape, Riley has worked with industry pioneers like Impossible Foods, The Good Food Institute, BIOMILQ, TiNDLE, and now is head of brand & marketing at Ivy Farm Technologies - a cultivated meat innovator transforming what we eat and how we impact the planet.⁠
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    From global product launches to system-wide change, Riley is passionate about reconnecting consumers with their choices - and the future of protein.⁠

David Edwards

  • I joined the Transformation Table to bring in the voices of citizens, farmers and the values-led businesses already shaping a better food system. The solutions exist - they’re just not evenly seen or supported - and this feels like a chance to bring them into the centre through leadership, insight and honest collaboration. I’m hopeful this can be a space for truth, tension and real progress - where we stop skirting the hard stuff and start building the future with the people already making it happen.

Antony Yousefian

  • With a background in capital markets and a career built in Agri-Food Tech ventures, Antony brings full-stack insight from IPOs to on-farm operations, leading commercial, product and investment strategy.

Dr. Clive Black

  • We all tend to benefit from listening, being appropriately challenged, respecting different opinions, learning. When this is on matters of substance, then good discourse can be a helpful tool to make life a bit better, the opposite is also true when good time is wasted on procrastination, posturing, identity statements, and the crudeness of cancelling. It is to be hoped that the transformation table can be the former and make a positive difference

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