Dame Glenys Stacey’s term as Chair came to an end at the end of January. Defra has today (Monday, 2 February) announced that current Board member Julie Hill MBE will act as interim Chair until a permanent appointment is confirmed.
Julie said: “It is a great honour to step up to act as interim Chair for the OEP. Dame Glenys will leave big shoes to fill, but I am very much looking forward to helping the OEP navigate this period of change and continue its mission to protect and improve the environment.”
Julie has served on the OEP Board since it was established in 2021. She has had a career in environmental policy and politics, working primarily in the UK. As well as being on the OEP Board, she is President of the Institution of Environmental Sciences (IES) and Chair of the Advisory Committee for Social Science (ACSS) for the Food Standards Agency (FSA). Former roles include Chair of the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP), board member of the Eden Project, the Environment Agency (EA) and the Consumer Council for Water (CCW). She has written and presented widely, including a popular science book ‘The Secret Life of Stuff’.
Dame Glenys Stacey said: “I am very pleased to be able to leave the OEP in such capable hands as I step down from this role. Julie has made a hugely valuable contribution to the OEP in her role as a Board Member, and I am sure she will continue to do so as interim Chair.
“I am extremely proud of what the organisation has become and has achieved, and am confident that its excellent work will continue under Julie’s leadership and beyond, when a permanent Chair is appointed.
“There is still much to do, and I will be cheering the OEP on from the sidelines.”
The recruitment process for a permanent Chair is led by Defra and is well underway.
