Change at the Helm
Date published:
AFBI Chief Executive Officer Dr Stanley McDowell, is retiring from the Institute with effect from 31 July, after serving as CEO since 2018.
Dr McDowell first joined the Department of Agriculture in 1988, moving to Stormont as a Veterinary Research Officer in 1990. During his time at Stormont, he worked across a spectrum of animal disease surveillance, statutory and research work areas and was responsible for leading scientific work on a number of diseases of major animal and public health importance. This included work on food-borne pathogens, antimicrobial resistance, brucellosis and bovine tuberculosis. He was appointed Head of Bacteriology in 2010, Director of Veterinary Sciences Division in 2013 and became AFBI CEO in 2018.
Over the last almost 8 years, he has led the work of the Institute across its themes of sustainable agri-food systems; animal health, plant health and food safety; and environmental and marine sciences. He has been instrumental in a series of corporate developments including the Institute’s current corporate and science strategies; the updating of key corporate IT systems; the development of a Digital, Data and Technology programme; and a number of other major capital investments.
Stanley retires from AFBI on 31st July after a combined 38 years’ public service in the former DANI, DARD and AFBI and significant contributions to animal health, food safety and wider NI agriculture.
A new Chief Executive, Dr Iain Williams, has been appointed and will take up post from 1 September. Iain joins AFBI from the Natural Environment Research Council (UKRI‑NERC), where he has served as Director of Strategic Partnerships since 2020.
Professor Elizabeth Magowen, Director of AFBI’s Sustainable Agri-Food Sciences Division will serve as acting CEO and Accounting Officer until Iain’s arrival.