OBI Agronomists
OBI Sports Agronomists have over three decades of experience consulting for world sport's most renowned facilities. We have taken these projects from inception through to design, construction, grow-in, maintenance and testing. OBI's Agronomists have been trusted partners on hundreds of projects that have brought the best surfaces to elite professionals.
Charles Henderson
Owner
Charles Henderson is a leading global authority on pitch infrastructure and construction, with unrivalled hands-on experience in installing, renovating, and maintaining hybrid pitches at the world's most famous sporting venues.
To accompany this skill set, Charles has also developed contractual administration and valuation skills that enable technically led project stewardship from beginning to end.
Dale Frith
Agronomy Director
Dale Frith is a domestically and internationally recognised pitch agronomist who has gained his reputation by working at the highest level of professional football. Through working at five FIFA World Cups and numerous UEFA tournaments, Dale has gained invaluable experience, leading him to become a trusted authority on pitch testing and its practical implementations.
Harry Bradley
Pitch Agronomy
Harry Bradley is an experienced professional in sports turf management with a career spanning roles at leading football clubs, including Arsenal FC and Blackpool FC. And also managing international venues for major tournaments with Aspire Sports Turf in Qatar
At OBI Sports, Harry will focus on Pitch Agronomy and Testing along with managing OBI Self Test and service.
Mark Higgs
Pitch Project & Agronomy
Mark Higgs has led the end-to-end delivery of complex sports turf projects across grassroots, local authority and elite professional sport, managing schemes from initial feasibility and design through tender, construction, completion and handover.
His experience includes the project management of elite stitched hybrid pitch reconstructions, stadium pitch renewals and training ground developments for clubs including Ipswich Town FC, Nottingham Forest FC, Newcastle United FC and Liverpool FC, alongside the delivery of irrigation, under-pitch heating and associated infrastructure.
In addition, Mark has supported Sport England Framework agronomy projects nationwide and continues to provide pitch testing and agronomy services at elite venues across the UK, bringing strong expertise in high-value, high-risk project management, detailed pitch design, contract and budget control, material approvals and winter sports delivery under demanding timelines.
Sarah Leese
Finance Manager
With a strong background in financial management and strategic planning, Sarah brings clarity and precision to OBI Sports’ operations.
Sarah's expertise spans budgeting, forecasting, and process improvement, ensuring the business runs efficiently as it continues to grow.
By combining analytical insight with a practical approach, she helps translate financial data into confident decisions that support long-term success.
Jack Street
Head of Data
With a proven track record of unearthing key market trends and delivering strategic recommendations across consumer industries, Jack Street is now set to apply the same rigour and creativity to sports data. His background spans complex analysis, dashboard creation, and translating raw numbers into winning strategies.
Sport is full of data. And his goal is to harness that data to drive smarter decisions, whether that’s performance insights, fan engagement, or commercial growth.
Jack previously presented insights at major industry expos and was recognised as an exceptional Insight talent at Circana in 2024. My combination of analytical depth and clear, impactful communication positions me to make a significant impact in the sports sector.
Supported by the OBI Group
The OBI Group supports OBI Sport from its office in Manchester, England. This state-of-the-art space is home to a team of designers, office administrators, and support staff who all contribute to OBI Sports' industry-leading projects.
We move as one
