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Last week (July 10th 2024) the UK Food Standards Agency (FSA) reported that Emily Miles, the Chief Executive, is leaving the agency this September as she has been appointed as Director General of Food, Biosecurity and Trade at Defra - the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Miles said that she was delighted to take up the new challenge, but sad to leave the FSA. Her work for the agency since 2019 was not short of challenges, including Brexit, the COVID-19 pandemic, the war in Ukraine, and the cost of living crisis.

The organisation has achieved a huge amount in these five years with a determined focus on delivering food you can trust. I know that I’m leaving the FSA in the strong hands of the FSA leadership team and our Chair Professor Susan Jebb,” said Miles.

Susan Jebb's extended period as FSA Chair was reported ahead of this announcement “to provide consistent leadership over this post-election period", stated Jebb.

This will enable the FSA to continue to provide an effective regulatory system to uphold the high food standards that are so important to us all. I am delighted that Katie Pettifer, who is currently our Director of Strategy and Regulatory Compliance, will be acting as interim Chief Executive to lead our teams whilst we recruit for a permanent appointment", Jebb added.