Coffey is named new chair at AFBI

The Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) has announced the appointment of Mr Colin Coffey as the new chair to the board of the Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute (AFBI).
By The Newsroom
Published 9th Apr 2019, 08:13 BST
Updated 9th Apr 2019, 08:32 BST

Mr Coffey’s appointment is effective from 1 April 2019 to 31 March 2022.

A Chartered Director and Fellow of the Institute of Directors with extensive experience in corporate governance, Bangor man Colin has held a number of senior management posts within the Northern Ireland food industry. These include chief executive of United Feeds and manufacturing director at Pritchitt Foods.

Colin is currently non-executive chairman of Flint Studios, a software development company, and 4 Beauty Group, a specialist skincare company. He is also corporate services director of specialist property development company, the RDA Group.

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Mr Coffey’s role as the current deputy chair of the AFBI Board and his broad experience in the private sector will bring professional finance, governance and specialist experience to the AFBI chair position. He arrives at a time of significant change for AFBI, as the organisation faces a range of strategic challenges over the medium term.

AFBI is a multi-disciplinary organisation with around 640 staff involved in high technology research and development, diagnostic and analytical testing for DAERA and other government departments, public bodies and commercial companies in Northern Ireland, and further afield.

Its three main areas of work are:

- Natural and marine environment

- Animal, plant and human health and welfare

- Sustainable livestock production

- AFBI occupies seven sites across Northern Ireland;

- Newforge Lane (HQ)

- Stormont

- Hillsborough

- Crossnacreevy

- Loughgall

- Omagh

- Bushmills

- a 53 metre dedicated marine research vessel based in Port of Belfast

Related topics:DAERA