TECH GIANT Siemens has appointed Lee Fletcher to spearhead its growth in the agri-tech sector.

According to Siemens, UK agri-tech currently contributes £14.3bn to the economy and employs around 500,000 people. With new focus from the government, which recently announced £22.4 million funding towards new technologies that will transform farming, the sector is set for further growth.

As Business Development Manager, Mr Fletcher will be focussing on developing Siemens Digital Industries’ presence in the UK agri-tech supply chain and exploring how technologies that have successfully enhanced productivity in other industries can be deployed in the agri-tech sector.

Managing director Brian Holliday said: “The agri-tech sector will grow over the next few years and warrants this investment. As a technology disruptor, Siemens Digital Industries has introduced cutting-edge simulation, automation and cloud analytics across manufacturing and agri-tech looks equally set to benefit from such innovation. Lee has the right credentials and expertise to engage with key agri-tech companies and help them drive productivity through our well-proven Digital Enterprise technology.”

Mr Fletcher said: “Siemens has some leading technologies which will assist our country wide agritech customers on the journey of automating and digitalising. With my breadth of experience and industry expertise, I look forward to significantly raise the profile of Siemens DI in the agritech industry.”