Meet Oliver Kent: National Business Manager for Speciality Crops at Corteva
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Can you tell us a little about your background and what led you to join Corteva?
I’ve always been fascinated by plants and how they interact with their environment. This interest led me to study Plant Science at the University of Nottingham, followed by a PhD at the University of Sheffield, where I studied UK Orchids and their mycorrhizal associations. However, I quickly felt that academia was not the place for me and industry would be a better fit.
I went on to work in various technical roles across the Agriculture and Horticulture sectors in both the UK and the Netherlands. Overtime, I found myself working more closely with marketing and commercial teams and felt like this would be an area I would like to develop.
In December 2023, I made the leap into my first commercial/marketing role with Corteva as the National Business Manager for Speciality Crops.
What does your role as National Business Manager for Speciality Crops involve?
I act as the Category Marketing Manager for our Amenity and Speciality Herbicides and Insecticides, while also serving as the Account Manager for our Speciality accounts in the UK and Ireland. The role is very varied; one moment I can be talking to our distribution partners about pest pressure forecasts in fruit crops, and the next, working on the development of new herbicide products for amenity situations. I have the wonderful role connecting our specialist accounts to the breadth of Corteva solutions - managing current products and developing new ones - while working with colleagues across our business in Customer Services, Production, Marketing Communications, Research and Development, Regulatory and Technical.
Can you share a standout moment from your time in this role?
A major highlight for me was being selected as a 2024 winner of Corteva’s Growing Higher Programme. It was a standout moment to be recognised for commercial success in both my first year at Corteva and my first commercial role.
2024 was a difficult year, and we suffered with an unprecedented, wet start to the year, but the support from the wider team and our partners helped ensure we still had a successful 2024.
How do you stay up to date with the latest advancements and trends within your sector?
Growing up in Yorkshire, I am very passionate about tea and whenever I make a cup of tea, I use the boiling and brew time to look at news articles and advancements in my areas of interest. These short, regular snippets of information have proved very valuable in sparking ideas and conversation with colleagues and others in the industry.
What advice would you give to someone aspiring to follow a similar career path as you?
Pursue opportunities that genuinely excite you and you feel passionate about.
Would you recommend Corteva as a place to work?
Yes! I have found the culture at Corteva to be extremely supportive, to provide recognition for success, and to offer opportunities for growth.
Lastly, outside of work, where are we most likely to find you or what activities do you enjoy?
My family are extremely supportive of my role, and I love to spend as much time with them as I can. I also enjoy playing and watching multiple sports and try to go fishing whenever I have the opportunity.
Pictured (left-to-right): Joe Martin (Field Technical Manager), Oliver Kent (National Business Manager - Speciality Crops) and Tom Rouse (Area Manager - East) at the 2025 Fruit Focus event in July.
If you are looking for a role with a difference, Corteva is the right choice, providing valuable learning experiences. Find out more about our talented team here.
