We are pleased to announce that Tom Meagher has been appointed as the new Interim Chair of JNCC.
Tom has been a member of the Joint Committee since April 2022. His appointment will take effect from 1 January 2025 and run until 30 June 2025 or until a substantive Chair is appointed following completion of the public appointment process. He replaces Cath Denholm, who was appointed Interim Chair in March 2024.
Tom’s interim appointment was made as an exceptional appointment without competition, following consultation with the Commissioner for Public Appointments.
Tom is Professor of Plant Biology at the University of St Andrews and served as Director of the St Andrews Global Challenges Forum.
Tom was previously a member of the Defra Science Advisory Council and the Natural Environment Research Council. Tom leads an international and interdisciplinary initiative developing novel remote sensing technology to aid assessment and conservation of plant biodiversity, He has worked with the British Council, the British Embassy Lima, and government agencies in Peru promoting the establishment of a national botanic garden / plant biodiversity initiative. He has been an active contributor to the Scottish Government's environmental and conservation science strategy growing from his former role as a Trustee of the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh.
For more information on this appointment, visit the gov.uk website.