Appointment of New AHVLA Veterinary Director

Published on Friday 6 May 2011 at 11:00

Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency (AHVLA) is delighted to announce the appointment of Simon Hall, as its new Veterinary Director.

Currently the Chief Veterinary Officer (CVO) for Scotland, Mr Hall will play a significant role in ensuring that veterinary judgement and expertise is at the heart of decision making in the agency.

Mr Hall, who will take up his post in June 2011, has extensive veterinary experience including six years in mixed practice and seven years as a Veterinary Officer.

“I am really pleased to take on this role in the new agency,” he said.

“Our challenge is to use our specialist expertise in state veterinary medicine to deliver high value services to governments, industry and citizens. I know there is a tremendous pool of talent distributed across AHVLA's laboratories and offices and I intend to find ways for everyone to achieve their full potential.”

The experience and expertise of Mr Hall will prove invaluable to AHVLA at a time when policy demand for scientific evidence and specialist advice in the field of animal health and welfare is increasing.

Mr Hall qualified from Cambridge University in 1984 and spent six years in mixed veterinary practice in Devon and Gloucestershire.

In 1990 he joined the then State Veterinary Service in Gloucester, where his varied workload included the investigation of BSE and tuberculosis cases.

A spell as a veterinary policy adviser in animal welfare at the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAFF) followed in 1997, and in 2001 he moved to the national control centre for Foot and Mouth Disease.

Mr Hall then worked at Defra in the field of international trade, managing disease risks through import controls and supporting the British economy by facilitating exports of animals and animal products.

He has been Chief Veterinary Officer of Scotland since July 2009.

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