Dame Helen Ghosh appointed as Chair of the Office for Environmental Protection

Emma Reynolds, Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), and Andrew Muir, Minister for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA), have confirmed Dame Helen Ghosh as the new Chair of the Office for Environmental Protection.

Dame Helen will take up the post on 1 June 2026. Julie Hill's term as Interim Chair will end on 30 May 2026.

Commenting on her appointment, Dame Helen said:

I am delighted to be joining the Office for Environmental Protection at this crucial time. The Office has done a great job in its first six years in achieving real environmental improvement through its challenge and advice to Government and regulators. It has shown expertise, independence and integrity in pursuing issues that matter most in the natural world and to the public.

But the 2030 deadline for achieving the first statutory improvement targets is rapidly approaching and delivery of most of those is way off track, as it is for the ambitions set out in the Environmental Improvement Plans in England and Northern Ireland. It will be even more important that the Office focuses relentlessly on the areas and actions that will make the most difference. I look forward to playing my part in that vital work alongside the Board, our team and our stakeholders.

Emma Reynolds said:

I would like to thank Julie Hill for her time as Interim Chair and for providing stability and continuity to the board as we completed the process of appointing a permanent Chair.

Dame Helen brings strong public service values and a wealth of experience to this role. We look forward to continuing to work with the OEP as we protect, restore and improve our natural environment for current and future generations.

Andrew Muir said:

I welcome Dame Helen Ghosh's appointment as Chair of the Office for Environmental Protection and look forward to continuing to work positively together. The OEP's independent challenge and guidance are vital as we address the environmental challenges ahead.

The appointment follows a public hearing with the EFRA and EAC committees, held on 28 April, and a subsequent joint report into Dame Helen's suitability for the role, published on 29 April. Dame Helen's selection followed a rigorous process conducted in accordance with the Ministerial Governance Code on Public Appointments.

Biography

• Dame Helen brings extensive leadership experience from across the public and private sectors. For eight years, she served as Master of Balliol College at Oxford University, holding senior governance roles and chairing the Conference of Colleges.
• She has a strong background in governance and strategic development and oversight at senior levels from her previous positions as Director General of the National Trust and a Senior Civil Servant.
• Dame Helen has wide-ranging non-executive and trustee experience, particularly in environmental and conservation sectors, including seven years as a trustee on the Board of Action for Conservation.

Notes to editors

• All appointments are made on merit and political activity plays no part in the selection process. There is a requirement for appointees' political activity (if any declared) to be made public. Dame Helen Ghosh has declared no political activity.