Meet Our Judges: Derek Murphy, Cabinet Member for Economic Development at Kent County Council
Born Folkestone (Kent) March 1958. Married to Alison currently live in Walmer (Kent). Educated at St Edmunds RC Secondary School Dover, & studied at the University of Kent at Canterbury (MBA in 1997). I retired in 2015 (after 30 years) from British Telecommunications Plc as a Senior Manager Global Programmes. Commissioned Royal Military Academy Sandhurst 1985, Officer Territorial Army(V) Royal Signals. In 2015 was elected to Dover District Council & In 2017 I was additionally elected to Kent County Council. I was successfully re-elected to DDC in May 2019, & to KCC in May 2021. As well as representing Walmer & Deal, I am currently the Cabinet Member for Economic Development for Kent at Kent County Council.
It is an opportunity for producers to demonstrate their pride and professionalism in their products as well as promoting on a domestic and global platform the excellence of food and drink produced in the County of Kent. I will be looking for enthusiasm from the producers for their product(s), clearly taste and attractiveness of the product from a consumers perspective, localism in terms of sourcing the necessary raw materials for their products, and a sound business plan for how they manage their business and their aspirations for the future.
