The UK’s Food Standards Agency (FSA) has appointed Susan Jebb, professor of diet and population health at the University of Oxford, as the new chair.
Jebb will take on the role from 1 July for three years, allowing Ruth Hussey – who has acted interim chair over the last few months following the departure of Heather Hancock – to return to her role as deputy chair.
The appointment was confirmed this week following approval by the Health and Social Care Committee.
In 2007, Jebb was the science advisor to the Government Office for Science Foresight report on obesity in 2007 and is currently an advisor to the National Food Strategy.
She chaired the cross-government expert advisory group on obesity between 2007 and 2011, as well as the Department of Health responsibility deal food network between 2011 and 2015. In 2008, she was awarded an OBE for her services to public health.
Susan Jebb said: “I am delighted to be appointed to chair [of] the Food Standards Agency. This is an important time for our food system, and I am looking forward to building on the trust that government has placed in the FSA to play a full and active role in the challenges which lie ahead.
“Most importantly I want to ensure that the department continues to be highly effective in protecting public health and delivering its mission of ‘food we can trust’.
“My aim is to champion science and transparent, evidence-based decision making, while ensuring the consumer perspective is central to everything we do. I want to strengthen our relationships across government and with the devolved countries, so that together we can maintain the confidence in our food standards among consumers and our trading partners.”
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