Charles Farmer has been appointed head of consumer UK at Bord na Mona following Steve Harper’s move to Gardman.

Farmer, Bord na Móna’s national accounts controller, has worked for the growing media specialist for the past five years.

He will be responsioble for all UK retail business, overseeing sales, marketing and business development, with a remit to further build Bord na Móna UK’s products, brands and associated infrastructure.  He will report directly to Bord na Móna Ireland’s group director marketing & communications, Gerry O’Hagan.

Farmer has previously worked with blue-chip UK consumer brands such as Scotts Miracle-Gro and Addis Housewares. 

Commenting on his new role, he said: “Our success will continue to be built on  market leading quality in both peat-based and peat-free growing media and we will continue developing this ‘one stop shop’ approach.  Our philosophy is to give trade customers the reassurance of buying best in class, while ensuring that the consumer gets great results every time.

 “We are developing new products, new storage facilities and new distribution routes to service existing and prospective accounts and will use our brand potential, production and logistics capabilities to back these up.  We will also be looking to expand into other sectors where we can combine ethical technology with top quality product.”

Bord na Móna UK trades peat–reduced Growise and peat-free Vital Earth through garden centres nationally and is the largest own brand  supplier of compost and bark in the UK.  It is part of the Bord na Móna plc, which specialises in eco-fuels, growing media, recycling, resource recovery and renewable energy.