Government appoints two new deputy chief veterinary officers
Alongside this, she is also the deputy director for the bovine TB programme
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has announced the appointments of Ele Brown and Jorge Martin-Almagro deputy chief veterinary officers (CVO).
Brown has been appointed as the deputy CVO for national, domestic and exotic diseases while Martin-Almagro has been appointed deputy CVO for international and trade affairs.
Brown is an experienced veterinarian with a background in infectious disease control and worked in mixed practice in Gloucestershire and Oxfordshire before joining the Government Veterinary Service.
Alongside this, she is also the deputy director for the bovine TB programme.
Martin-Almagrois also an experienced veterinarian who has worked in a number of teams across Defra Group and in the Food Standards Agency and is also interim deputy director for Global Animal Health and Trade.
Prior to this he led a number of multidisciplinary teams and worked in International Trade Policy affairs leading several successful market access negotiations, as well as leading veterinary teams and working as a front line veterinarian involved with official controls from farm to fork.
Christine Middlemiss, chief veterinary officer, said:” I am delighted to be working with Ele and Jorge. I am confident that they will help meet the challenges we face and provide excellent support to me and others on veterinary and technical issues.
“Their appointments come at what is a very important time for Defra and the UK Government, as we manage our biggest outbreak of avian influenza and develop further market access opportunities. They will both be a great asset to me providing veterinary senior leadership team in the Defra group.”
Brown added: “I feel really honoured to take on this new role. I have been passionate about national animal health since university so to be at the heart of advising Ministers and contributing to the work of maintaining the animal health and welfare and public health status of the UK, alongside working with our vets, farmers and farming industry is a privilege.”
