All ministers and senior officials on GOV.UK

Professor Rosie Hails MBE DSc hc FRSB was appointed chair of the Defra Biodiversity Expert Committee in April 2023 for 3 years. Rosie is an ecologist and Nature and Science Director at the National Trust, holding honorary ch…

Rowland Kao was appointed Chair of Defra’s Science Advisory Council in January 2025 for 3 years. Rowland is Professor of Veterinary Epidemiology and Data Science, University of Edinburgh. Rowland is a mathematical biologist …

Russell Viner was the Chief Scientific Adviser for the Department for Education from January 2023 to January 2026. He is a paediatrician and professor at the University College London (UCL) Great Ormond St. Institute of Chil…

Sallie has over 30 years’ experience of working in the areas of environment, natural resources and agriculture, both in the UK and internationally. Sallie’s focus is on ensuring science, evidence and analysis are at the hear…

Sarah Brown became a Low Pay Commissioner on 26th March 2015. Her term ends on 10 November 2021. She is a Professor of Economics at the University of Sheffield and a director of the Institute for Economic Analysis of Decisio…

Professor Sarah Hawkes is a Commonwealth Scholarship Commissioner. Sarah is Professor of Global Public Health at University College London, Director of the Centre for Gender and Global Health at UCL and co-Director of Global…

Professor Sarah Sharples was Chief Scientific Adviser for the Department for Transport from 12 July 2021 to 31 October 2025. Sarah is a Professor of Human Factors in the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Nottingham…

Sergi Pardos-Prado is Professor of Comparative Politics and Research Director of the Politics and International Relations department at the University of Glasgow. He was previously Associate Professor in Politics at Merton C…

Professor Sharon Peacock FMedSci CBE is the Executive Director and Chair of the COVID-19 Genomics UK (COG-UK) consortium . The COG-UK consortium has been created to deliver large-scale and rapid whole-genome virus sequencing…

Sharon Wright is Professor of Social Policy at the University of Glasgow and a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences. She researches lived experiences of delivering and receiving social security benefits in the UK and Sco…

Professor Sheila Rowan was appointed Chief Scientific Adviser for Scotland in June 2016. This is a part-time position within the Scottish government. Sheila also remains Director of the Institute for Gravitational Research, …

Sian Taylor-Phillips is Professor of Population Health at the University of Warwick, specialising in evaluation of medical tests and screening programmes. She leads Warwick Screening, a team of researchers which synthesises …

Simon works as Chief Engagement and Innovation Officer and Professor at the University of Warwick Medical School, and as Group Director for Research and Development for the ‘Foundation Group’ made up of four NHS trusts which…

Simon Redfern is Professor of Mineral Physics at the University of Cambridge. His research focuses on the behaviour of minerals and aqueous fluids at high temperatures and pressures. He has previously led large research proj…

Alex has made contributions to medical science in various fields, is accredited in pathology and internal medicine and trained initially in medicinal chemistry. His commercial experience includes cancer drug development and …

Professor Sir Anthony Newman Taylor is currently the Chairman of the Independent Medical Expert Group (IMEG) of the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme (AFCS) . He is Professor of Occupational and Environmental Medicine at Nati…

Charles Godfray is Professor of Population Biology and Director of the Oxford Martin School at the University of Oxford where he also leads the School’s Future of Food Programme. He has broad research interests including eco…

Sir David Metcalf was Director of Labour Market Enforcement from January 2017 to June 2019. Before this he was Chair of the Migration Advisory Committee from 2007 to 2016. He was a member of the Senior Salaries Review Body f…

Professor Sir Ian Boyd was Chief Scientific Adviser at the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs from September 2012 to August 2019. He is currently Professor in Biology at the University of St Andrews. Career hi…

Ian Chapman was appointed Chief Executive Officer of the UK Atomic Energy Authority on 1 October 2016. His career highlights: he was appointed Head of Tokamak Science at Culham in 2014. he has held a number of international …

Professor Sir Ian Diamond was the UK’s National Statistician from October 2019 to May 2025. He was the chair of the Social Security Advisory Committee (SSAC) from August 2018 to August 2019. Sir Ian, who was knighted in 2013…

Professor Sir John Edmunds was appointed Chief Scientific Adviser and Director for Research and Evidence at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) in July 2025. He is a British epidemiologist, seconded from …

Professor Keith Burnett was appointed to the UK Atomic Energy Authority Board on 1 November 2010. Career highlights: he became Vice-Chancellor of the University of Sheffield in 2007 he was Head of the Division of Mathematica…

Sir Mark Walport is the Chief Executive of the newly formed UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), which is responsible for the public funding of research and innovation. He was Government Chief Scientific Adviser ( GCSA ) and H…

Sir Michael is chairman of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (since December 2014). He is a clinical phamacologist and specialist in internal medicine. He was professor of clinical pharmacology in Newca…

Professor Sir Mike Richards was a hospital physician for more than 20 years. After a variety of training posts, he was a consultant medical oncologist between 1986 and 1995, and Professor of Palliative Medicine at Guy’s and …

Sir Norman was appointed as the Chair of the Independent Reconfiguration Panel in 2019 by the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care. He originally practised as a colorectal surgeon and was professor of surgery at Bar…

Sir Paul Curran is President and Professor of Physical Geography at City University of London. His research is in the field of environmental Earth observation from satellite and airborne sensors. He studied at the Universiti…

Robin Grimes is the Steele Chair of Energy Materials at Imperial College. From 2017 to 2021 he was Chief Scientific Adviser (nuclear) to the Ministry of Defence and between 2013 and 2018 Chief Scientific Adviser to the Forei…

Stephen Bach is Executive Dean and Professor of Employment Relations at King’s Business School. His research interests include: public service employment relations in comparative perspective; international migration of healt…

Professor Stephen Belcher became Met Office Chief Scientist in December 2016. Stephen obtained his PhD in fluid dynamics from the University of Cambridge in 1990 and has subsequently published over 100 peer-reviewed papers o…

Stephen Duffy is a statistician and epidemiologist, educated at Edinburgh University and Imperial College, London. His research is mainly in cancer epidemiology, prevention and screening, including work on the pioneering Swe…

Steven Cowley was appointed Chief Executive Officer of the UK Atomic Energy Authority on 1 November 2009. Career highlights: he was appointed Director at Culham Centre for Fusion Energy (CCFE) in September 2008 he co-chaired…

Steven leads the Data, Analytics and Surveillance group within the UK Health Security Agency ( UKHSA ) which provides a world-class analytics capability that informs health protection activities, decision-making, and outcome…

Stuart is a marine scientist who has worked for government as an adviser for many years. Stuart qualified from the University of Bristol with a degree in Botany and Zoology in 1985, and following his PhD research into fish e…

Professor Sue Hartley OBE took up the role of Vice-President for Research at the University of Sheffield on 1 January 2020, where she leads all aspects of the University’s research activity. She is also Professor of Ecology …

Professor Susan Hopkins is the Chief Executive Officer at the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA). Susan is also a Professor of Infectious Diseases and Health Security at University College London and continues to work clinica…

Professor Susan Jebb OBE, PhD, FRCP (Hon), FMedSci - FSA Chair 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 Physicia…

Susan Owens was first appointed chair of Defra’s Social Science Expert Group in October 2021. She was reappointed in October 2024 for a further 3 years. Defra’s Social Science Expert Group is a sub-group of Defra’s Science A…

Professor Darzi is Director of the Institute of Global Health Innovation at Imperial College London. He also holds the Paul Hamlyn Chair of Surgery at Imperial College London, and the Institute of Cancer Research and is Exec…

Thomas Hoehn (appointed in 2009) is a Visiting Professor and research fellow at the Imperial College Business School, London, where he teaches Executive Education courses on Business Economics and Smart Cities. He is the Ges…

Professor Tim Dafforn has been the Chief Scientific Adviser (CSA) at the UK Ministry of Defence since July 2025. He is a Professor of Biotechnology and previously held roles as Director of the Institute of Advanced Studies a…

Professor Tom Crick MBE is the Chief Scientific Adviser (CSA) at the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), having taken up the role in November 2023. Professor Crick is Professor of Digital Society and Policy at th…

Professor Tom Rodden has been appointed as the Chief Scientific Adviser for the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, and begins this role in January 2019. Tom Rodden is a Professor of Computing at the University…

Tracy has experience in Chair, Independent Member and Non-Executive Director roles following a successful executive career in Chief Executive and Human Resources Director roles, and many years prior to that as a Human Resour…

Vernon was born in Grantham, Lincolnshire and educated at The King’s School, Grantham. He read Chemistry at the University of Sheffield before moving to Oxford to study for his doctorate. He later held the Sir Edward Frankla…

Professor Viv Bennett was appointed as Director, Nursing at Public Health England ( PHE ) in 2013. Viv is also Director, Nursing at the Department of Health ( DH ), having joined DH as Deputy Chief Nursing Officer in 2007. V…

Professor Wendy Purcell became a BIS non-executive board member in July 2013. Wendy is a life scientist and academic leader. She is President of Plymouth University and established its enterprise mission and ‘anchor’ institu…

Professor Yvonne Doyle joined PHE in December 2012. Yvonne Doyle qualified as a doctor and has worked in senior roles in the NHS and Department of Health and Social Care ( DHSC ), and in the academic and independent sectors.…

Rachael joined DVLA in 2003 and became the agency’s Finance Director in December 2013. Education Rachael is an ICAEW chartered accountant with a BSc Hons degree in Chemistry from Imperial College, London. Career From 1 Decem…