The Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs
(DAERA) has made new non-executive appointments to the
Departmental Board and to the Boards of its Executive Agencies in
the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) and Forest
Service.
Dr Michael Johnston MBE has been appointed as a non-executive
board member to the Departmental Board.
Veronica Morris has been appointed as a non-executive board
member of the NIEA Board and Shireen Chambers MBE and Maynard
Mawhinney have both been appointed to the Forest Service Board.
Non-executive board members bring external perspectives and
experiences and provide invaluable support and constructive
challenge to executive members in their role of ensuring that the
Board's business is discharged effectively.
These appointments are being made for a three-year period,
beginning on 1 April 2025.
Notes to editors:
- Each NI department is required to have an effective
departmental board which provides leadership for the department's
business, helping it to operate effectively. The board supports
senior officials in directing the business of the department in
an as effective and efficient way as possible and plays a
particularly important role in supporting the Permanent Secretary
as Principal Accounting Officer in discharging their obligations
as set out in Managing Public Money Northern Ireland.
- Non-executive board members also have a similar role to play
on the Boards of a department's Executive Agencies. They do this
by supporting Agency Chief Executives in their role as Agency
Accounting Officers to discharge their obligations under Managing
Public Money NI.
- NEBMs are currently paid in line with DoF rates (currently
daily rate of £554). The time commitment for a non-executive
board member of the DAERA Departmental Board is approximately 30
days a year. The time commitment for non-executive board members
of the boards of the agencies is less, approximately 20 days per
year.
- Mike Johnston is a well-known figure in the dairy industry,
having served as the Chief Executive of the Dairy Council for
Northern Ireland. He has held academic positions, including a
visiting Professorship at Ulster University Business School, and
has chaired the College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise
(CAFRE), College Advisory Group. He is also a member of the Food
Standards Agency's Food Advisory Committee for Northern Ireland
and of the board of the Council for Curriculum, Examinations and
Assessment.
- Veronica Morris, with over 25 years' experience in the
voluntary, community, and agricultural sectors, is former CEO of
Rural Support, and founder of Danellen Consulting. She has led
several organisations through strategic growth, funding
development, and governance reform, and has helped to raise over
£20million for non-profit and public sector initiatives. Veronica
brings expertise in leadership, stakeholder engagement, and rural
affairs, and is passionate about supporting sustainable
development, environmental protection, and the long-term
wellbeing of farming families and rural communities.
- Shireen Chambers studied forestry and soil science at Bangor
University and has a wealth of knowledge and senior leadership
experience of the forestry sector. In 2019 she was appointed MBE
for her contribution to the industry and holds an honorary
fellowship from Bangor University. Shireen is currently CEO of
Future Woodlands Scotland and was a previous Executive Director
of the Institute of Chartered Foresters. She has also held
several non-executive appointments over the years, including
Forest Research and Chair of Tree Aid.
- Maynard Mawhinney is a former Director of Food and Commercial
Tourism with InvestNI and currently serves as a Non-Executive
Director with the Business Services Organisation (BSO). He is the
Chair of CAFRE's College Advisory Group and the Audit & Risk
Committee of the Northern Ireland Fishery Harbour Authority where
he is also a Non-Executive Director. Mr. Mawhinney recently
chaired an extensive review into the roles and responsibilities
of local councillors and has previously served with both the
South Eastern Health & Social Care Trust and the Health and
Safety Executive. In the private sector, he has been a
Non-Executive Director with Around Noon Ltd and has also provided
consultancy services with BSO.
