Birthday Honours at the Office for Product Safety and Standards
The Queen has recognised the contributions of three Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) staff in her 2019 Birthday Honours.
Deputy Chief Executive Sarah Smith has been awarded the OBE for services to business and consumers. Leading policy and engagement for OPSS, she has been instrumental in advising Ministers on effective implementation of regulatory policy, ensuring concerns of business are heard and influencing policy,
Sarah became the UK’s youngest head of regulatory services in her twenties, designing and establishing Primary Authority, which allows businesses to have a single local authority as their point of contact for regulation, helping businesses and regulators to work together for better compliance and growth.
She is respected internationally for her experience in strategic regulatory reform, capacity building of regulatory agencies, and implementing risk-based approaches with overseas partners.
Gavin Stones, internationally recognised for his experience and expertise in legal metrology, has completed fifty years of public service and receives the MBE. Gavin has made a unique personal contribution to public service and particularly to consumer protection, economic growth and business success through his role in legal metrology.
He has ensured the UK’s pre-eminence in this highly specialised field. As a leader in European and global bodies including the International Organisation of Legal Metrology, he has established the UK’s reputation, ensured consumer rights are secured and helped business to thrive.
Mannie Panesar, head of OPSS laboratories and testing in Teddington, has been recognised for his commitment to excellence in testing and measuring over many years at NMO and NPL, and for his particular contribution to understanding the engineering issues associated with white goods and product safety.
Mannie, who receives the OBE, is a highly regarded member of the Institution of Engineering and Technology. His dedication and expertise and experience of metrology has enabled the UK to lead a testing and measurement infrastructure that is one of the best in the world. He is acknowledged as an authoritative source of knowledge in weights and measures and is a role model in his field internationally.