Reappointments to the Board of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
Professor Nicola Spence, Dr Geoffrey Hawtin and Sir Ralph Ferrers Vyvyan have each been reappointed to the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic…
Professor Nicola Spence, Dr Geoffrey Hawtin and Sir Ralph Ferrers Vyvyan have each been reappointed to the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, by Lord de Mauley.
Trustees do not receive any direct remuneration for their services, although reasonable travel and subsistence expenses can be reimbursed. The reappointments have been made in accordance with the Code of Practice issued by the Commissioner for Public Appointments.
The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, is an exempt charity and an Executive Non-Departmental Public Body created under the National Heritage Act 1983, sponsored by Defra and which operates under a Board of Trustees.
The Board of Trustees for the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, comprises a Chairman and 11 members. Ten members and the Chairman are appointed by the Secretary of State. Her Majesty the Queen appoints her own Trustee on the recommendation of the Secretary of State.
Biographies
Professor Nicola Spence
Nicola is the Chief Executive of SCY, a leading Innovation organisation based in York. Nicola has a BSc in Botany from the University of Durham, an MSc in Microbiology from Birkbeck College, University of London and a PhD in Plant Virology from the University of Birmingham. She is an expert in plant health and International plant trade and was previously the Chief Scientist at the Food and Environment Research Agency, where she is a Fellow. Nicola is a Director of Venturefest Yorkshire, a member of the University of York Court and a member of the Business, Innovation and Growth Panel for the Leeds City Region Local Enterprise Partnership. Her appointment will run until 24 November 2016.
Dr Geoffrey Hawtin
An expert in the conservation and use of plant genetic resources, he was the founding director of the Global Crop Diversity Trust and is currently its Senior Advisor. He has been CEO of two research institutes of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research: the Centro Internacional de Agricultura Tropical (CIAT) in Colombia and the International Plant Genetic Resources Institute (IPGRI - now Biodiversity International) in Rome, Italy. He has also lived and worked in East Africa, West Asia and North Africa and was director of the Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Sciences Division of the Canadian government’s International Development Research Centre. His appointment will run until 24 November 2015.
Sir Ralph Ferrers Vyvyan
Sir Ferrers is the current owner of the Trelowarren Estate, home to the Vyvyan family for over 600 years. A dedicated conservationist Sir Ferrers runs Trelowarren as a working estate, with the emphasis on energy conservation, reducing omissions and using sustainable resources. The estate has continually won major ‘green’ awards - in 2007 it was the only nominated UK company in the World Travel Awards ‘ World’s Leading Green Development’, and won an RICS sustainable development award. It has also won the Business in the Community Award and been national champion twice in the ‘Green Apple’ awards. Sir Ferrers was previously Chairman of the Cornwall Gardens Trust 2002 - 2006, Chairman The Royal Institution of Cornwall 2004 - 2009 and High Sheriff of Cornwall 2008 to 2009. He has a post graduate diploma in ‘conservation of historic landscapes’ from the Architectural Association. His appointment will run until 29 May 2015.