Dr Sinclair Mayne is new AFBI chief executive

The Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute has announced the appointment of Dr Sinclair Mayne as Chief Executive, with effect from 1 November 2016.
By The Newsroom
Published 26th Oct 2016, 09:35 BST
Updated 27th Oct 2016, 17:12 BST
Dr Sinclair Mayne has been appointed Chief Executive of AFBIDr Sinclair Mayne has been appointed Chief Executive of AFBI
Dr Sinclair Mayne has been appointed Chief Executive of AFBI

Dr Mayne has been Director of AFBI’s Sustainable Agri-Food Sciences Division since February 2013, having previously been Departmental Scientific Adviser with the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development from 2009.

In welcoming Dr Mayne to the post, Mr Colm McKenna, Chair of the AFBI Board stated: “Dr Mayne has an excellent track record in agri-food research and a strong international profile, recognised in his leadership of the team which recently hosted the highly successful European Federation of Animal Science Conference here in Belfast. His knowledge of, and connection with, the local and international agri-food industry will enable him to further develop and enhance AFBI’s reputation for excellent science supporting the wider agri-food industry and rural economy. The AFBI Board recognises the need for ongoing change within the organisation and we are fully confident in Sinclair’s ability to take AFBI to the next stage.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Dr Mayne said: “I am pleased to be appointed as Chief Executive of AFBI. I look forward to working with my colleagues in AFBI, and with stakeholders to ensure that we provide world leading science to support the local agri-food industry in producing safe, healthy and nutritious food through sustainable production systems.”

Dr Mayne graduated in agriculture from Queen’s University, Belfast and undertook his PhD at the Agricultural Research Institute of Northern Ireland (ARINI) at Hillsborough. He was then appointed leader of the dairy research programme at the Grassland Research Institute in Devon, England, before returning to ARINI as Head of Dairy Research in 1987. He was appointed Director of ARINI in 2002 prior to its incorporation into AFBI in 2006.

Dr Mayne was appointed Departmental Scientific Adviser with the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development in 2009, and returned to AFBI in 2013 as Director of Sustainable Agri-Food Sciences Division.