From poultry factories to finance leadership, AF Financial Controller Alex Watson has taken a hands-on route into the world of agricultural finance. Alex shares more about his career journey, what his role at AF involves, and why good financial management matters for Members.
“Before joining AF, I was Group Financial Controller at Tuckwells, a John Deere dealership, for nearly six years. Before that, I worked in the food industry at Cranswick plc and in 2 Sisters Food Group’s poultry factories. They were production environments, but still very much agricultural and very much 24/7, so in one way or another my career has always been connected to agriculture.
“I actually studied chemistry, but when I graduated, I wasn’t entirely sure what I wanted to do. After spending some time gaining real world work experience, I realised I wanted to pursue a career in finance. My first opportunity came in production planning at a poultry processing factory, where I put my Excel skills to good use in a very operational role that was closely linked with the finance team.
“While I was there, I spent six months working across every department, even on the kill line. That hands-on experience gave me a real understanding of how operations work. When an opening came up in the finance team, I took it and never looked back.
“A lot of finance people begin in audit or practice, which can feel very different from the real world. One of the things that has helped me most is having operational experience first. It gave me a strong grounding for finance because real businesses rarely fit neatly into a spreadsheet.
“Today, I’m a CIMA qualified accountant holding the Chartered Global Management Accountant designation, which I completed while working full time. It’s a qualification focused not just on financial statements and statutory reporting, but on how finance supports business performance, strategy and decision-making - something I’m really passionate about.”
“My responsibilities cover the finance team functions, management information, credit and risk, and I also sit on AF’s Senior Management Team. Day to day, that means producing financial information for the business, keeping a close eye on budgets, reviewing credit risk and helping make sure AF stays aligned with its wider goals. A big part of my role is making sure finance is not just reporting numbers, but helping the business understand what those numbers are saying and where we need to focus next.
“I think we need more automation so we’re not stuck in the manual detail of producing numbers. The real value comes from asking what story the numbers are telling us, where the business needs to adapt, and how we can work with procurement and other teams to grow and protect the co-operative.
“For me, there are two core priorities: growing the business and controlling costs. If we can increase procurement across a wider membership base, we can help dilute costs for existing Members. At the same time, we need to hit budget, avoid overspending and make sure our Members are getting real value for money.”
“Finance can sometimes feel like the forgotten part of AF, but the business simply couldn’t operate without it. From processing around 35,000 invoices a month, to sending Statement Packs, paying suppliers and staying audit compliant, our finance function helps keep the co-operative moving every day. “So how does that help Members? If finance can drive improvement across the business, support better decisions and maintain strong cost control, it strengthens the value delivered to Members."
“There’s a wider benefit in knowing there’s a team focused on the financial health and long-term stability of your co-operative. Strong financial stewardship helps make sure AF is here for you and other Members for years to come.”
