News story

Reappointments to the Environment Agency Board

Sarah Mukherjee and Mark Suthern reappointed for twelve months

From:
Environment Agency, Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs and Emma Reynolds MP
Published
13 January 2026

Sarah Mukherjee and Mark Suthern have been reappointed to the Board of the Environment Agency.

The Board provides strategic, corporate leadership to the Environment Agency, which works to create better places for people and wildlife, and supports sustainable development.

Both members have been reappointed for a second term of twelve months. Their terms began on 10 January 2026

These appointments have been made in accordance with the Ministerial Governance Code on Public Appointments. All appointments have been made on merit and political activity plays no part in the selection process, nor is a bar to appointment.

Biographies

Sarah Mukherjee MBE

  • Sarah is a member of the People and Pay and Environment and Business Committees.
  • Sarah is geographically aligned with the Environment Agency’s South East and East Area Hub.
  • Sarah is the Chief Executive of ISEP (Institute of Sustainability and Environmental Professionals.) She was the BBC’s Environment Correspondent for many years, presenting on national and international BBC radio and television news, working – and winning awards - across the world.
  • Since leaving the BBC, she has had leadership roles in utilities and agriculture. She was a panel member for the National Parks Review and sat on the National Food Strategy Advisory Panel. She has previously held Non-Executive Director roles at the Woodland Trust, Harper Adams University and the Oxford Farming Conference.
  • Sarah was awarded an MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list in 2021 for her services to agriculture and farmer well-being.

Mark Suthern

  • Mark is Chair of the Flood and Coastal Risk Management Committee and a member of the Audit and Risk Assurance and Environment and Business Committees.
  • Mark is geographically aligned to the Environment Agency’s Midlands Area Hub.
  • Mark was formerly the Managing Director and National Head of Agriculture and Landed Estates at Barclays UK Plc. While there, he was focused on farming, agri-tech, sustainability, energy and the environment.
  • Mark is a chair of the Arthur Rank Centre. Mark is also Chair of FixOurFood Advisory Board (University of York), a member of The Ceres Agri-Tech Investment Committee (University of Cambridge and University of Lincoln), and a Trustee of Society of Agriculture.
  • Mark is also a Lay-Canon and Senior Non-Executive member of the Chapter at Lincoln Cathedral.

Further information

  • The Environment Agency is a Non-Departmental Public Body set up under the Environment Act 1995 to take an integrated approach to environmental protection and enhancement in England. It has major responsibilities in flood management, water resources and quality, climate change, land quality, chemicals, pollution prevention and control, waste, conservation and biodiversity, fisheries conservation, air quality and navigation.
  • The Board for the Environment Agency currently comprises a Chair and eight members.

Updates to this page

Published 13 January 2026