Ian Collison
LONDON
Ian joined the family business in 2001 after completing a biology degree at the University of Warwick. Ian’s entry to the business coincided with the advent of on farm packing for UK retailers and over the next 20 years Collison Cut Flowers has grown to be one of the leading grower packers in the UK cut flower industry. Collison Cut Flowers supply most of the UK major multiple retailers with seasonal cut flowers throughout the year from their 7 sites in Norfolk. Ian has driven rapid adoption of automation within the operation, Collison are a leader in harvesting and grading automation and are currently in the process of a further round of investment to automate the growing process.
Ian is a frequent contributor to academic and government studies in to horticultural automation and innovation, sitting on various industry panels and consultation projects. Ian is a regional co-ordinator for the Farmertime initiative which pairs farmers with classes of schoolchildren, bringing farms throughout the UK live in to the classroom via video calls. Ian is also an enthusiastic champion for sustainable farming, working to improve the local environment and contributing to national initiatives to improve the farmed environment and public understanding of the contribution of modern farming to wildlife.
In his spare time he enjoys spending time with his young family and is chair of his local tennis club.