DAERA appoints new board members
Date published:
The Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) has made new non-executive appointments to the Departmental Board and to the Boards of its Executive Agencies in the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) and Forest Service.
Dr Michael Johnston MBE has been appointed as a non-executive board member to the Departmental Board.
Veronica Morris has been appointed as a non-executive board member of the NIEA Board and Shireen Chambers MBE and Maynard Mawhinney have both been appointed to the Forest Service Board.
Non-executive board members bring external perspectives and experiences and provide invaluable support and constructive challenge to executive members in their role of ensuring that the Board’s business is discharged effectively.
These appointments are being made for a three-year period, beginning on 1 April 2025.
Notes to editors:
- Each NI department is required to have an effective departmental board which provides leadership for the department’s business, helping it to operate effectively. The board supports senior officials in directing the business of the department in an as effective and efficient way as possible and plays a particularly important role in supporting the Permanent Secretary as Principal Accounting Officer in discharging their obligations as set out in Managing Public Money Northern Ireland.
- Non-executive board members also have a similar role to play on the Boards of a department’s Executive Agencies. They do this by supporting Agency Chief Executives in their role as Agency Accounting Officers to discharge their obligations under Managing Public Money NI.
- NEBMs are currently paid in line with DoF rates (currently daily rate of £554). The time commitment for a non-executive board member of the DAERA Departmental Board is approximately 30 days a year. The time commitment for non-executive board members of the boards of the agencies is less, approximately 20 days per year.
- Mike Johnston is a well-known figure in the dairy industry, having served as the Chief Executive of the Dairy Council for Northern Ireland. He has held academic positions, including a visiting Professorship at Ulster University Business School, and has chaired the College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise (CAFRE), College Advisory Group. He is also a member of the Food Standards Agency’s Food Advisory Committee for Northern Ireland and of the board of the Council for Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment.
- Veronica Morris, with over 25 years’ experience in the voluntary, community, and agricultural sectors, is former CEO of Rural Support, and founder of Danellen Consulting. She has led several organisations through strategic growth, funding development, and governance reform, and has helped to raise over £20million for non-profit and public sector initiatives. Veronica brings expertise in leadership, stakeholder engagement, and rural affairs, and is passionate about supporting sustainable development, environmental protection, and the long-term wellbeing of farming families and rural communities.
- Shireen Chambers studied forestry and soil science at Bangor University and has a wealth of knowledge and senior leadership experience of the forestry sector. In 2019 she was appointed MBE for her contribution to the industry and holds an honorary fellowship from Bangor University. Shireen is currently CEO of Future Woodlands Scotland and was a previous Executive Director of the Institute of Chartered Foresters. She has also held several non-executive appointments over the years, including Forest Research and Chair of Tree Aid.
- Maynard Mawhinney is a former Director of Food and Commercial Tourism with InvestNI and currently serves as a Non-Executive Director with the Business Services Organisation (BSO). He is the Chair of CAFRE's College Advisory Group and the Audit & Risk Committee of the Northern Ireland Fishery Harbour Authority where he is also a Non-Executive Director. Mr. Mawhinney recently chaired an extensive review into the roles and responsibilities of local councillors and has previously served with both the South Eastern Health & Social Care Trust and the Health and Safety Executive. In the private sector, he has been a Non-Executive Director with Around Noon Ltd and has also provided consultancy services with BSO.
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- All media queries should be directed to the DAERA Press Office: pressoffice.group@daera-ni.gov.uk or telephone: 028 9016 3460.
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