News story

New members appointed to the Natural England board

Four new members will join the Board.

Mark Tufnell, Cynthia Alers, Alastair Leake and James Scott have today (Friday 24 May) been appointed to the board of Natural England.  

Their terms will run for three years from 31 May 2024 until 30 May 2027.

The new appointments have all been made in accordance with the Ministerial Governance Code on Public Appointments published by the Cabinet Office.

Natural England plays a key role in delivering the government’s environmental priorities. Its purpose is to help conserve, enhance and manage the natural environment for the benefit of present and future generations, thereby contributing to sustainable development.

Biographies

Mark Tufnell

Mark Tufnell is a former President of the Country Land & Business Association. He manages and owns a family farm in the Cotswolds. Previously, he was a non-executive director of the Animal Health & Welfare Board for England. He is a chartered accountant and also chairs a number of local conservation groups.

Cynthia Alers

Cynthia Alers was recently Audit and Risk Committee Chair and a member of the Governance Committee at Orwell Housing Association, as well as a director on the Board of Orwell’s property development subsidiary. She is currently Treasurer to the Board of Charitable Trustees at Buckden Recreation Ground and Village Hall Trust. Previously, she was a member of the Nomination and Remuneration Committees at the Port of Dover.  

Alastair Leake

Alastair Leake is the current Head of the Allerton Project, which researches the effects of different farming methods on wildlife and the environment. He was previously a Project Manager, focusing on Farming Projects at the Co-operative Farms and sat on the Board of Directors at Rothamsted Research.

James Scott

James Scott is the Group Director of Strategy and Planning at Urban&Civic plc and a member of Natural England’s Development Industry Group. Previously, he was a Senior Executive at LendLease Europe and a non-executive director of East Thames Housing Group.

Notes for Editors

  • All appointments are made on merit and political activity plays no part in the selection process.
Published 24 May 2024