Minister for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, Andrew Muir has appointed Siobhan McCauley as the new deputy chair of the Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute (AFBI) board.
Siobhan McCauley has a background in economic and business development, and has considerable experience of financial management, corporate governance and strategic planning.
As the former director of regional services at the Northern Ireland Housing Executive, she was responsible for leading the regional housing services, providing strategic direction and oversight of large-scale investment and transformational initiatives.
Other AFBI appointments
Minister Muir has also appointed Xiaohui Chen, David Graham, Brian McTeggart, Bill Montgomery, Thérèse Rafferty, Nigel Scollan, Esther Skelly-Smith, Joseph Stewart, Derek Wilson and Vanessa Woods as members of the AFBI board.
The minister said: “The appointees will play a key role in leading and governing AFBI in the delivery of its statutory functions and scientific services in the fields of agriculture, animal health and welfare, food, fisheries, forestry, the natural environment and rural development and enterprise.
“As I welcome the new deputy chair and members, I would also like to offer my sincere thanks to the outgoing board members – Martyn Blair, Daphne Johnston, Tim McClelland, Alan Moore, Tom Tynan and Tom Wright for their dedication and valuable contributions throughout their tenures.”
The new appointments are effective from July 1, 2025, until June 30, 2028.
Bill Montgomery and Thérèse Rafferty have previously served one term as AFBI board members, and their appointment to a second term through the public appointment process is effective for a two-year term from August 1, 2025, until July 31, 2027.
