INTERVIEW / 06
BARRY LUPTION INTERVIEWS GARY GRAHAM
With his departure from Bord Bia imminent, Gary Graham talks with Barry Lupton about a career dedicated to the promotion of horticulture and what the future holds
A NEW LEAF LET’S CUT TO THE CHASE. YOU’VE BUILT A SUCCESSFUL CAREER AND REPUTATION WITH BORD BIA; WHY ARE YOU LEAVING? It was a tough decision and I’m very proud of Bloom, but after 20 years between Bord Glas and Bord Bia it’s time for me to get my teeth into new projects. Bloom is well established and I am confident that it will run and run. OF THE FACTORS WHICH HAVE INFLUENCED YOUR DECISION TO LEAVE, WHAT WAS THE MOST SIGNIFICANT? The need to have more autonomy and more focus on horticulture rather than the wider Bord Bia remit and processes. WHAT WILL YOU MISS MOST ABOUT THE WORK YOU WERE DOING? Working with Team Bloom and the brave creative designers who are at the centre of a €4m event that inspires a €40m consumer spend every year. I’ll really miss the judges and those fascinating debates about design and construction.
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OBVIOUSLY, I MUST ASK, WHAT WILL YOU MISS LEAST? I was always gutted for designers who gave it their all, but fell short of the top medals. Awarding low medals was always heartbreaking. MOST PEOPLE IN THE INDUSTRY MOST CLOSELY ASSOCIATE YOU WITH BLOOM, BUT YOU WERE INVOLVED IN THE SECTOR LONG BEFORE AND IN DIFFERENT CAPACITIES PRIOR TO IT STARTING. WHAT WAS YOUR CAREER PATH AFTER GETTING THOSE TWO HONORS AND THREE PASSES IN THE LEAVING? Thankfully, my lousy Leaving Certificate didn’t stop me from getting into the National Botanic Gardens, after two attempts, and a great internship at the Chicago Botanic Gardens. After some time landscaping and many years of business studies/night classes the IFA gave me my big break and I got off my tools. Building a representative structure for the horticulture sector gave me great insights into what was required to develop the sector. So far, I have actioned at least three of those requirements, export development, TV and Bloom.
HORTICULTURECONNECTED / www.horticultureconnected.ie / Autumn/Winter 2021
