Directors

Christine Tacon

Christine has chaired MDS since May 2016 after a successful career in marketing and general management for companies such as Mars, Vodafone and the Co-operative Group, where she ran their farming business for twelve years. She was awarded a CBE for services to agriculture in 2004.

Christine was the first Groceries Code Adjudicator, a role she held for seven years. In May 2024, she was appointed to be a Member Nominated Director of the Co-op Group, elected by their members to represent them at board level. She is currently also the Chair of Assured Food Standards who operate the Red Tractor Assurance scheme but will step down to ensure there are no real or perceived conflicts of interest with the Co-op. She chairs the BBC Rural Affairs Committee and founded the Women in Food and Farming network. Christine holds an honorary doctorate from Cranfield University, where she is also a visiting professor.