New Chair of the Environment Agency

Emma Howard Boyd has been confirmed as the new Chair of the Environment Agency and took up the post yesterday (Monday 19 September 2016). Ms Boyd was Acting Chair of the Environment Agency; she was  appointed to the Board of the Environment Agency in 2009 and was made Deputy Chair in 2015. Environment Secretary Andrea Leadsom said:" Emma brings unrivalled experience, leadership and enthusiasm to the Environment Agency and I very much look forward to working with her."  The Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Select Committee published a report approving the appointment of Emma Howard Boyd as the new Chair of the Environment Agency. The recruitment was carried out in accordance with the ‘Code of Practice for Ministerial Appointments to Public Bodies’ published by the Commissioner for Public Appointments. The panel overseeing the recruitment was chaired by an Assessor appointed by the Commissioner.

Emma Howard Boyd biography

Emma has spent her 25-year career working in financial services, initially in corporate finance, and then in fund management, specialising in sustainable investment and corporate governance. As Director of Stewardship at Jupiter Asset Management until July 2014, Emma was integral to the development of their reputation in the corporate governance and sustainability fields.

She currently serves on various boards and advisory committees including the Future Cities Catapult (Vice Chair), ShareAction (Chair of Trustees), the Aldersgate Group, Menhaden Capital PLC, the 30% Club Steering Committee, the Executive Board of The Prince’s Accounting for Sustainability Project and the Carbon Trust Advisory Panel.

Her past board and advisory roles have included being a director of Triodos Renewables PLC; Vice Chair and Chair of the UK sustainable investment and finance association (UKSIF), and a member of the Commission on Environmental Markets and Economic Performance, set up by the UK government to make detailed proposals specifically on enhancing the UK environmental industries, technologies and markets