The Greendale Group appoints three new members, Martyn Youell, Tom Chanter and Richard Gibbons to the Board of Directors
The Greendale Group (FWS Carter & Sons), a diverse, family-owned South West of England business, with interests in farming, fishing, retail, property and haulage, today announces the appointment of three new members to its Board of Directors; Martyn Youell, Tom Chanter and Richard Gibbons.
Effective immediately, these appointments will provide extra strength and stability to the board, helping to shape the business for years to come.
Youell brings over 15 years of experience in the fishing sector. As Commercial Director for Waterdance (the Group’s fishing enterprise), he has successfully overseen the expansion of the business, growing revenue significantly during his tenure, and is particularly proud of the recruitment of an outstanding operational team, improving efficiency and profitability. Youell has been a key figure in the strategic vision for the company and for the UK fishing industry, bringing valuable regulatory experience from his previous role at the Marine Management Organisation (MMO).
“Martyn has outstanding people skills, great energy and an incredibly positive attitude,” said Rowan Carter, owner and CEO. “He lifts everyone around him and when you combine that with his knowledge of fishing, we believe he is a perfect fit for the role.”
“I’m thrilled to join the Board of Directors at the Greendale Group at such an exciting time,” said Youell. “The company’s unique portfolio of businesses and its strong market position present a tremendous opportunity. I look forward to contributing to the board and helping shape the future of the Greendale Group”.
Chanter’s 12 years of experience in the farming industry have earned him Farmers Weekly Award nominations and recognition as a leading voice in British agriculture. Since 2017, Chanter has overseen the cattle management at Greendale and has transformed the company’s beef and arable farming by focusing on efficiency, high welfare and profitability. He played a pivotal role in the acquisition of Willowglen Renewables and has successfully transitioned the company’s anaerobic digestion (AD) plant input away from arable crops to cattle dung, creating renewable energy to power Greendale businesses.
“Tom brings real enthusiasm for the farm, the AD plant and business in general,” said Stephen Gratton, Chairman. “His passion, his work ethic and his understanding of our roots in farming make him exceptionally well suited to this position.”
“I’m delighted to have been appointed a member of the Greendale Group Board of Directors,” said Chanter. “My role means I’m uniquely placed to help Greendale’s farming heritage evolve as we work to become a greener business. I’m looking forward to being part of the company’s next exciting chapter.”
Gibbons, the newest member of the management team, joined Greendale just 15 months ago as Group Finance Director. A chartered accountant, he brings 16 years’ experience of working for both large corporations and small, independent businesses. Within a short period of time, Gibbons has streamlined the financial and management processes and led major acquisition and refinancing projects.
“Richard has a calm and sensible approach, a huge work ethic and, despite being with us for the shortest time, he has delivered some of the most important changes the business has seen in recent years,” said Robin Carter, Owner and Director.
“I’m honoured to join the Board of Directors of such a successful and well-regarded business, especially one with a proud history of farming and fishing,” said Gibbons. “I look forward to making a real contribution to the group’s future success and helping to consolidate its position as one of the pre-eminent family-owned businesses in the South West.”
About the Greendale Group
Over the last five years, the Greendale Group has achieved significant growth in turnover, from £49m in 2020 to £73m in 2025 (an increase of 49%), despite facing a range of global uncertainties. This growth in revenue has been underpinned by a number of key drivers, including the expansion of the Group’s farming operation; the diversification of its fishing fleet; and the strategic acquisitions of an anaerobic digester (AD) plant in 2023 and a pallet storage business in 2025.
Key Stats:
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The annual turnover for the group Y/E 2025 was £73m
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Over 559 people are employed by the Greendale Group
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The Greendale Group operates a farming business that farms 2,000 acres and has c.1,500 head of cattle.
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The group owns and operates a fishing business (Waterdance) of twenty-seven vessels (the largest fleet in the South West of England)
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The Greendale Group owns and operates the Exmouth Marina a thriving, independent business, offering pontoon berths, casual and visitor berthing, and berthing for commercial craft.
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We operate a selection of leisure and retail businesses – including the award-winning Greendale Farm Shop which is a major employer for the local area.
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The group owns and operates a business park which comprises of over 1.8 million square feet of existing industrial units and secure open storage. The park hosts a diverse collection of tenants, from leading multi-national logistics companies, such as Royal Mail, DHL and FedEx, to thriving local SMEs, including LL Exeter and Opus Plastic.
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The group recently acquired Westexe Pallet & Storage Ltd, a pallet and product storage specialist located near Exeter.
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We operate a fleet of over 35 commercial vehicles including HGV.
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We own and operate an anaerobic digester (AD plant) and generate our own renewable electricity which is consumed by Greendale Group companies and business park tenants.