Professor John O’Brien

Professor O’Brien is Founder of the Food Observatory, UK and a Visiting Professor at Ulster University, Coleraine. In his previous career to 2018 he led the Nestlé global competence centre for Food Safety & Quality and the company’s Food Safety and Integrity Research Programme in Lausanne, Switzerland. He is also a former head of food safety for the Danone Group in Paris.

From 2004 to 2009 he was CEO of the Food Safety Authority of Ireland.  His experience at senior level spans risk assessment, regulatory affairs and food production, both as a scientific practitioner and as a user of advice to translate scientific evidence into public policy and to communicate around high-profile and complex issues.

He is Chair of the Advisory Board of the Nutrition Innovation Centre for Diet and Health (NICHE) at Ulster University.  He sits on several professional committees concerned with food safety and health and is a non-executive board member of Campden BRI.

Register of interests

An up-to-date record of member interests can be found on the register of interests page.