Preferred candidate for FSA Chair named

Susan Jebb, professor of diet and population health at the University of Oxford, has been named as the preferred candidate to take over the role from interim Chair Dr Ruth Hussey who will return to her Deputy Chair role. 

As Chair, Susan Jebb will be responsible for working with the FSA Board and the Chief Executive to set the FSA’s strategic direction and oversee the Agency’s programmes of work.

Susan Jebb said: "I am delighted to be named as the preferred candidate to Chair 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."

Before the appointment is confirmed, Matt Hancock, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, has on behalf of all the appointing authorities invited the Health and Social Care Committee to hold a public pre-appointment scrutiny hearing in line with parliamentary procedures which is expected in early May. 

The announcement on the preferred candidate from the Department of Health and Social Care can be found on the GOV.UK website.

More about Professor Susan Jebb

Professor Susan Jebb is one of the country’s leading scientists, a Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences and Honorary Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians.  Her recent research has focused on the treatment of obesity and interventions to encourage healthy and sustainable diets. 

Susan has a long-standing interest in the translation of scientific evidence into policy and 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 has previously chaired the cross-government expert advisory group on obesity (2007–2011), the Department of Health responsibility deal food network (2011–2015) and public health advisory committees for the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (2013-2018).  She was awarded an OBE in 2008 for services to public health.

Susan plans to continue with a part-time appointment at the University of Oxford alongside the role as Chair of FSA.