Register of Interests

Expert Register of Interests FSA Science Council

(June 2022)

In line with FSA policy and established good practice for accessing external expertise, Scientific Advisory Committee members are required to declare any personal or non-personal interests which represent a real or potential conflict in respect of general or specific aspects of work undertaken. Interests will be managed in accordance with the FSA’s policy and guidance.

If members have interests not specified in these notes, but which they believe could be regarded as influencing their advice or other work for FSA, they should declare them. However, members are not under any obligation to search out interests of which they might reasonably not be aware. For example, either through being unaware of all the interests of family members, or of not being aware of links between one company and another.  

Prof John O’Brien (Chair)

Updated: April 2024

Current Interests

Personal:

• Direct employment : The Food Observatory, Founder and Director (2018-)
• Other fee-paid work from relevant organisations, consultancies: Scientific Advisory Board, Danone Food Safety Centre, Utrecht, Netherlands (2018-present; Elsevier Ltd, Editor, Trends in Food Science & Technology (2021-present). Yakult Honsha Co. Ltd - Consultancy on probiotic products (Oct 2024-Oct 2025).
• Shareholdings: None
• Membership, affiliation, trusteeships or decision-making position with relevant organisations: Member, External Affairs Advisory Committee, IFST (UK); Chair, External Advisory Board, Nutrition Innovation Centre for Diet and Health (NICHE), University of Ulster.
• Other personal interests: None

Non-personal:

• Fellowships endowed by relevant organisations:Royal Society of Chemistry, FRSC, Institute of Food Science and Technology (UK), FIFST; Society of Toxicology; Institute of Food Technologists; Society for Risk Analysis; Society of Chemical Industry; Association of Official Analytical Chemists; International Association for Food Protection. Non-Executive Board Member and Deputy Chair, Campden BRI
• Indirect financial or non-financial support from relevant organisations: None
• Research interests or funding which could benefit from work with FSA: Nil
• Other non-personal interests: Strategic Advisory Committee, Need For Nutrition Education/Innovation Programme (NNEDPRO), Cambridge, UK

Historic Interests

Personal: 

• Direct employment : Nestlé SA, Head of Food Safety & Integrity Research Programme (until 2018)
• Other fee-paid work from relevant organisations, consultancies: Book Reviewer.  Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore, USA (2019); ThermoFisher Scientific Inc. USA (2018-2022); Crème Global, Dublin, Ireland, Consultancy project on food factory risk management (2019). Arthur D. Little, Consultancy on Food Quality Management (2021)
• Shareholdings: Nestle SA
• Membership, affiliation, trusteeships or decision-making position with relevant organisations: None
• Other personal interests: Spouse worked for Johnson & Johnson Inc. until 2020

Non-personal:

• Fellowships endowed by relevant organisations: None
• Indirect financial or non-financial support from relevant organisations: Trustee: Institute of Food Science & Technology, UK (2020-2023). Member, International Scientific Advisory Board, Queens University Belfast (2013); Executive Advisory Board, Institute for Food Safety & Health, Chicago (2015-2017); Chair, ILSI Europe Branch (2013-2017); Trustee, ILSI, Washington (2014-2018); Trustee, Feeding Tomorrow, IFT, Chicago (2014-2017).
• Research interests or funding which could benefit from work with FSA: None
• Other non-personal interests: None

Ms. Claire Nicholson

Updated: July 2024

Current Interests

Personal:

• Direct employment : Nil
• Other fee-paid work from relevant organisations, consultancies: Nil
• Shareholdings: Nil
• Membership, affiliation, trusteeships or decision-making position with relevant organisations: Trustee of the Reading Foundation, a small education charity associated with Reading School (2017-present). Lay member of the British Pharmacopoeia.
• Other personal interests: My husband works for a small private equity company with direct investments in early stage tech companies primarily in Northern Europe, and indirect investments via buy-out funds globally (To present).

Non-personal:

• Fellowships endowed by relevant organisations: Nil
• Indirect financial or non-financial support from relevant organisations: Nil
• Research interests or funding which could benefit from work with FSA: Nil
• Other non-personal interests: Nil

Historic Interests

Personal: 

• Direct employment : Independent Director for consumer interests at Red Tractor Farm Assurance (2014- January 2020)
• Other fee-paid work from relevant organisations, consultancies: Member for consumer interests (Advisory Committee for Novel Foods and Processes) (2013-June 2020)
• Shareholdings: Nil
• Membership, affiliation, trusteeships or decision-making position with relevant organisations: Red Tractor (2014-January 2020)
• Other personal interests: Nil

Non-personal:

• Fellowships endowed by relevant organisations: Nil
• Indirect financial or non-financial support from relevant organisations: Nil
• Research interests or funding which could benefit from work with FSA: Nil
• Other non-personal interests: Nil

Prof. Peter Gregory

Updated: April 2024

Current Interests

Personal:

• Direct employment : Nil
• Other fee-paid work from relevant organisations, consultancies: Chair, AHDB Recommended List Board
• Shareholdings: Nil
• Membership, affiliation, trusteeships or decision-making position with relevant organisations:  Nil
• Other personal interests: Honorary Fellow NIAB

Non-personal:

• Fellowships endowed by relevant organisations: Nil
• Indirect financial or non-financial support from relevant organisations: Nil
• Research interests or funding which could benefit from work with FSA: Nil
• Other non-personal interests: Partner Alreside Meadow LLP

Historic Interests

Personal: 

• Direct employment : University of Reading (1980-2016)
• Other fee-paid work from relevant organisations, consultancies: East Malling Research (2011-2015)
• Shareholdings: Nil
• Membership, affiliation, trusteeships or decision-making position with relevant organisations: Nil
• Other personal interests: Nil

Non-personal:

• Fellowships endowed by relevant organisations: Nil
• Indirect financial or non-financial support from relevant organisations: Nil
• Research interests or funding which could benefit from work with FSA: Nil
• Other non-personal interests: Nil

Prof. Jonathan Wastling

Updated: July 2024

Current Interests

Personal:

• Direct employment : Brunel University, London
• Other fee-paid work from relevant organisations, consultancies: UKRI (Selection panel work) (Ongoing); Cambridge University - Press editor of Parasitology (Ongoing).
• Shareholdings: BP (<£1000).
• Membership, affiliation, trusteeships or decision-making position with relevant organisations: Governor - Oswestry School, Shropshire; Trustee - Songbird Survival Trust.
• Other personal interests: Spouse is an employee of Liverpool University; Parents-in-law run a farming business in Cheshire

Non-personal:

• Fellowships endowed by relevant organisations: Nil
• Indirect financial or non-financial support from relevant organisations: Nil
• Research interests or funding which could benefit from work with FSA: Nil
• Other non-personal interests: Nil

Historic Interests

Personal: 

• Direct employment : University of Liverpool (2004-2015); Keele University (2015 - 2023)
• Other fee-paid work from relevant organisations, consultancies: BBSRC Commonwealth Scholarship Commission (2006-2015)
• Shareholdings: Nil
• Membership, affiliation, trusteeships or decision-making position with relevant organisations: Nil
• Other personal interests: Nil

Non-personal:

• Fellowships endowed by relevant organisations: Nil
• Indirect financial or non-financial support from relevant organisations: Nil
• Research interests or funding which could benefit from work with FSA: Nil
• Other non-personal interests: Nil

Prof Simon Pearson

Updated: July 2024

Current Interests

Personal:

• Direct employment :Director Lincoln Institute of Agri Food Technology, The University of Lincoln. Member FSA Science Council. Director Freiston Associates Ltd. Director Fruitcast.AI Ltd 
• Other fee-paid work from relevant organisations, consultancies: Advisor to Xihelm Ltd (non-fee paying) 
• Shareholdings: Fruitcast.AI. Frieston Associates Ltd 
• Membership, affiliation, trusteeships or decision-making position with relevant organisations: Nil
• Other personal interests: My wife is Director of CERES Agri-Tech at the University of Cambridge, Board Member of Horticulture Crop Protection Ltd and Freiston Associates Ltd.

Non-personal:

• Fellowships endowed by relevant organisations: HonFRASE, FIAgrE, FRSB
• Indirect financial or non-financial support from relevant organisations: Xihelm Robotics, Agaricus Robotics. BBSRC, EPSRC, IUK, Research England, NERC, STFC, H2020. Ongoing Innovate UK projects with Dogtooth Robotics, Wootsano, Xihelm, Agaricus Robotics, Muddy Machines, Moy Park, Nissan UK, British Aerospace, Meggitt, Leonardo, Househams, ARWAC, Oxdrive, Berry Gardens, Eyre Trailers, APS Produce,  
• Trusteeships: Douglas Bomford Trust
• Other public appointments: Member BBSRC SAF SAP (to April 2024). Chair IUK-Bridge AI Advisory Group 
• Other non-personal interests: Nil

Prof Michael Tildesley

Updated: April 2024

Current Interests

Personal:

• Direct employment : Professor at the University of Warwick
• Other fee-paid work from relevant organisations, consultancies: Consultancy for APHA on recent HPAI outbreak in the UK, Jan – Mar 2022Expert witness for a court case on the emergence of COVID-19, Jan-Jun 2022. Part of the DEFRA Strategic Advisory Group on Avian Influenza.
• Shareholdings: Nil
• Membership, affiliation, trusteeships or decision-making position with relevant organisations: Nil
• Other personal interests: Nil

Non-personal:

• Fellowships endowed by relevant organisations: Nil
• Indirect financial or non-financial support from relevant organisations: Nil
• Trusteeships: Nil
• Other public appointments: Nil
• Other non-personal interests: Nil

Prof Peter Borriello CB

Updated: April 2024

Current Interests

Personal:

• Direct employment : Nil
• Other fee-paid work from relevant organisations, consultancies: Consultancy for the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Short-term consultancy for the World Bank. Chair of the independent Science Group for RUMA (Responsible Use of medicines in Agriculture).
• Shareholdings: Nil
• Membership, affiliation, trusteeships or decision-making position with relevant organisations: Advisory Board of BactiVac. Trustee of Safe Medicines for Animals; regulatory training (SMArt).
• Other personal interests: Nil

Non-personal:

• Fellowships endowed by relevant organisations: Nil
• Indirect financial or non-financial support from relevant organisations: Nil
• Trusteeships: Nil
• Other public appointments: Nil
• Other non-personal interests: Nil

Professor Tom Oliver

Updated: May 2024

Current Interests

Personal:

• Direct Employment: Research Dean for Environment at the University of Reading and a Professor of Applied Ecology
• Other fee-paid work from relevant organisations, consultancies: Secondment with Defra advising Rapid Expert Elicitation of UK Food Security. BBSRC funded project ‘Enhancing transformative resilience of fruit and vegetable provision for UK citizens’ Sept 2024-2027.
• Shareholdings: None
• Membership, affiliation, trusteeships or decision-making position with relevant organisations: Trustee for Wild about Wallingford charity
• Other personal interests: Author of popular science book with publisher W&N The Self Delusion: The Surprising Science of Our Connection to Each Other and the Natural World

Non-personal:

• Fellowships endowed by relevant organisations: None
• Indirect financial or non-financial support from relevant organisations: None
• Trusteeships:  None
• Other public appointments: Office for Environmental Protection expert college member
• Other non-personal interests: None

Professor Richard Smith

Updated July 2024

Current Interests

Personal:

• Direct Employment: Professor of Public Health Economics and Deputy Pro Vice Chancellor for the Faculty of Health and Life Sciences at the University of Exeter.
• Other fee-paid work from relevant organisations, consultancies: No consultancies for industry – only for FSA itself and organisations such as the World Bank.
• Shareholdings: None
• Membership, affiliation, trusteeships or decision-making position with relevant organisations: None
• Other personal interests: None

Non-personal:

• Fellowships endowed by relevant organisations: None
• Indirect financial or non-financial support from relevant organisations: None
• Trusteeships: None
• Other public appointments: Non-Executive Director, South West Academic Health Science Network – current. Non-Executive Director, Royal Cornwall Hospitals Trust, Truro, Jan 2019-May 2022 
• Other non-personal interests: None

Jacqueline Healing

Updated July 2024

Current Interests

Personal:

• Direct Employment: None
• Other fee-paid work from relevant organisations, consultancies: Working as a freelance consultant in Food Safety and Quality.  
• Shareholdings: Shareholder in J Sainsbury
• Membership, affiliation, trusteeships or decision-making position with relevant organisations: Board member of the Society of Food Hygiene and technology
• Other personal interests: Volunteer for Citizens Advice.

Non-personal:

• Fellowships endowed by relevant organisations: None
• Indirect financial or non-financial support from relevant organisations: None
• Trusteeships:  None
• Other public appointments: None
• Other non-personal interests: None

Professor Emily Burton

Updated July 2024

Current Interests

Personal:

• Direct Employment: Nottingham Trent University. Member of FSA Advisory Committee for Animal Feedstuffs.
• Other fee-paid work from relevant organisations, consultancies: PhD examiner for UK universities on in the field of animal nutrition, animal production, animal health and aquaculture. Reviewer for Polish Governmental Grant funding board in field of animal health. Member of the FSA Advisory Committee on Animal Feedingstuff.
• Shareholdings: Shareholdings in Si Active Ltd 
• Membership, affiliation, trusteeships or decision-making position with relevant organisations: World's Poultry Science Association (WPSA). European Working Group on poultry nutrition: UK representative. WPSA UK branch member. Women's Institute member. Egg and Poultry Industry Conference committee member.
• Other personal interests: Husband is Chair of Governors for Bleasby Primary School.  Director of Egg and Poultry Industry Conference Ltd.  Director - British Poultry Science Ltd.

Non-personal:

• Fellowships endowed by relevant organisations: None
• Indirect financial or non-financial support from relevant organisations: Leadership of a research group that,
  through commissioning of research or 
  other work or through providing advice,
  receives funding from the following 
  companies:
  Alltech, AB Vista, AB Agri, ForFarmers, Kemin, Avara, Two Sisters Food Group, Danisco, Deep Branch Biotech, Clonbiotech, Fluidquip Technologies, Green Plains Bioethanol, Entec, Flybox,
  Premier Nutrition.
• Trusteeships: Gordon Memorial Trust. British Poultry Science Trust. 
• Other public appointments: None
• Other non-personal interests: None