In the UK food and fresh produce industries, technical professionals—those in food safety, quality assurance, and compliance—are the backbone of operational success. They ensure products are safe, meet regulatory standards, and maintain brand reputation. Yet, when you look at the top of the organogram, the MD and CEO roles are rarely occupied by someone from a technical background. Why?
Of course, it isn’t the case for everyone – there are exceptions to this and some exceptional examples of great technical professionals making brilliant MD and CEO’s.
Myself and Claire Donovan, who we recently had the pleasure of having as a guest on the The MorePeople Podcast, discussed this very topic I posed the question to her as to why there aren’t more technical individuals that make it to board level, whether that’s technical directors or a technical person that climbs up to MD or CEO level.
1. Commercial and Strategic Bias
Claire comments, “I think it’s a combination of things – we tend to be, in our makeup, quite risk averse and quite questioning, and I think that’s critical for a technical role. You’re always worried about what could go wrong, we tend to be glass-half-empty individuals.
That risk aversion can then be impactful on the way we communicate - We have to learn for the first words coming out of our mouths to not be no – it might be can I think about it? So that has an impact, I think, on the way we’re seen in terms of leading businesses.
I think boards tend to look for - particularly bigger boards where technical might not automatically be an executive position – the board tends to look for commercial acumen.”
The path to the top in food businesses often favours those with P&L responsibility—typically from commercial, sales, or operational backgrounds. MDs and CEOs are expected to drive growth, manage stakeholders, and deliver bottom-line results. While technical professionals are crucial in safeguarding compliance and risk management, their roles are often seen as cost centres rather than revenue drivers, despite Technical personnel having budgetary responsibility and commercial understanding.
2. Lack of Cross-Functional Exposure
Whilst most technical professionals frequently interact with customers, suppliers and internal business functions, they often do not have exposure to investors and may, due the specialist nature of their qualifications, not venture into leading other areas of the business landscape such as operations and commercial. This limited scope can make them less visible when leadership positions open up.
3. Leadership Perception and Soft Skills
The stereotype persists that technical professionals are process-driven and detail-oriented but lack the strategic thinking, negotiation skills, and charisma often associated with top leadership. While not necessarily true, those in technical roles may not always be given the same leadership development opportunities as their commercial counterparts and may have to be clear with their executive team that they wish to develop in that direction.
4. Risk vs. Reward Mindset
Technical professionals are trained to mitigate risk, ensuring food safety and regulatory compliance. Meanwhile, business leaders must take calculated risks to drive innovation, enter new markets, or push profitability. The contrasting nature of these mindsets can create a barrier to career progression.
Claire comments: “Particularly as I’ve explored the INED world people don’t necessarily want technical as it’s not necessarily a field they feel they’re weak in but they do need audit and risk so as I’ve gone from being employed to now working on various projects, the way I’ve found myself on boards is with that audit and risk piece. Again, there's a little about glass half empty, but businesses need to think about their risks and put stuff in place to stop them happening because if you don’t think about your risk, then it comes and knocks on your door.”
Breaking the Ceiling
If technical professionals want to break into the C-suite, they need to broaden their experience beyond their core expertise. Taking on commercial projects, engaging with customers from a commercial perspective, and gaining and or showing financial acumen can make them stronger candidates for leadership roles. Equally, businesses must recognise the value of having technically-minded individuals at the helm—especially in an era where food safety, sustainability, and compliance are more critical than ever.
Claire comments, “I tend to talk about diversity of thought – it’s not necessarily about whether I’m male or female; it’s about diversity of thought. We bring a different view, a different lived-in experience, and a different set of reasoning. If you're not careful on your board, and everyone looks the same and agrees, then you don’t get that challenge and that disagreement in private, agree in public. You need the challenge around a board to really push the board; otherwise, you just end up saying yes, and you don’t see troubles coming up behind you.”
Is it time to rethink the route to the top? Could the next great food industry leader come from the technical ranks? Absolutely—but only if both professionals and businesses challenge the status quo.
