Oliver Munn has been appointed CEO of the Rural Payments Agency,
bringing extensive leadership and operational experience from
across government and industry.
Oliver brings a wealth of operational and leadership experience
to RPA at a pivotal time for British farming and the environment.
The RPA plays a key role in delivering payments and support to
farmers, growers and land managers across England, helping to
drive forward our agricultural transition and support rural
communities.
Until 2024, Oliver served as Director General for Health
Protection Operations at the UK Health Security Agency, where he
led the operational response to infectious disease outbreaks in
England. In that role, he secured investment for and
delivered the modernisation of outdated IT systems and
manual processes. This resulted in quicker, more consistent and
higher quality services for customers.
Oliver currently works at Faculty AI, helping organisations
deploy technology responsibly to reduce administrative burdens
and better serve their customers.
RPA's interim Chief Executive, Neil Hornby, joined in June this
year. He will continue in the role until Oliver joins the agency
on 12 January 2026.
New RPA Chief Executive Oliver Munn said:
I'm honoured to join the Rural Payments Agency at such an
important time for British farming and the environment. In my
first few months, my focus will be on listening; to colleagues
across the RPA and to the farmers and land managers we serve.
Living in rural Somerset, I see firsthand how vital the RPA's
work is to local communities and to the future of the
countryside.
My priority is to deliver the modern, effective systems our teams
need, and to work closely with Defra to ensure schemes are
simpler for farmers to access and for our teams to deliver.
Farming Minister Dame said:
Oliver's experience across the public and private sectors puts
him in pole position to continue the Rural Payments Agency's
vital work delivering for its customers and rural communities.
We're backing farmers with the largest nature-friendly budget in
history, and Oliver's appointment will ensure the agency
continues to drive reforms that improve efficiency and the user
experience while supporting our farmers, growers and land
managers.
