Our Story
Three years ago, we gazed out at the blue (-ish) sea where it breaks in a pretty white line along the edge of the golden sands, out beyond an ever-changing tidal marsh that never stops breathing with each turn and turn of the tide. “ Gosh how lucky we are!”, we said, and looked at one another and grinned. Instead of constantly travelling and working overseas we decided to make the most of our wonderful landscape, living and working on the sea that we love.
That’s how our seaweed story began.
The Team
Norfolk Seaweed has been created by people who come from, and live in North Norfolk, with a family background in growing and selling oysters and mussels and lifelong involvement with the sea.
Chief Executive Officer
Willie Athill
Willie Athill
Chief Executive Officer
William Athill is a seaweed and oyster farmer in North Norfolk, England. Born and educated in Norfolk he was soldier for five years before joining a maritime salvage company that metamorphosed into an oil and gas exploration company where William worked for 35 years specialising in international rig move operations into harsh and hostile environments. After a four year sabbatical in large scale aquaculture in south east Asia and investment banking in New York and Hong Kong he saw that un-regulated extractive industries were so damaging to the world we live in he founded Norfolk Seaweed Ltd to pilot the production of low impact, low carbon, fully sustainable macro algae for bio-pharma, agricultural and soil health sectors.
Financial Director
Jamie Athill
Jamie Athill
Financial Director
Born and raised in Norfolk, Jamie grew up with a keen interest in the natural world and, in particular, the coastal region. He continued this interest whilst serving as an Army officer in roles covering operations, training and defence diplomacy in the UK, Europe, the Middle East and Southeast Asia. Based back in Norfolk since 2011, his focus has been on local community and charity work in support of veterans and young people, with particular emphasis on making sure that plans are matched with the resources and skills needed to achieve positive results. He is passionate about resurrecting a family business that will contribute to a sustainable, low carbon future and increasing career opportunities for young people. He was appointed as a Norfolk DL in 2016 and is a Fellow of the Chartered Management Institute.
Development Director
Allie Wharf
Allie Wharf
Development Director
Allie grew up in Norwich in the heart of Norfolk but spent much of her childhood on the beaches here. With a father in the shipping industry she also spent many summers criss-crossing the world’s oceans. After a BSc Economics degree at Oxford Brooks she became a producer and director at the BBC, specialising in foreign affairs. Post BBC she continued to make documentary films and work as a consultant on environmental investigations, whilst gaining a post-graduate qualification in International Development. Allie is a keen sailor, sea swimmer and diver and the sea and its glorious potential has always been a source of development ideas and inspiration.