New Chief Executive and Director for Rothamsted Research Institute

14 January 2010

The Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC), the Governing Body of Rothamsted Research and the Trustees of the Lawes Agricultural Trust are pleased to announce the appointment of Professor Maurice Moloney as Director and Chief Executive of Rothamsted Research. He will assume the full duties of his post from 15 April 2010.

Rothamsted Research is one of the Institutes of BBSRC and, established over 160 years ago, is almost certainly the oldest agricultural research centre in the world. It has research campuses at Harpenden in Hertfordshire, North Wyke in Devon and Broom’s Barn, Suffolk.

Professor Moloney is currently Chief Scientific Officer of SemBioSys Genetics Inc, based in Calgary, Canada. He founded the company in 1994 and has maintained this role alongside a successful academic career at the University of Calgary, where he serves as NSERC/Dow AgroSciences Industrial Research Professor of Plant Biotechnology.

BBSRC Chief Executive, Professor Douglas Kell said: “Maurice Moloney brings a unique combination of skills and experience that combines top class plant cell science with effective translation of research into successful business activity. His experience of leadership in academic, commercial and policy arenas will help Rothamsted Research to capitalise fully on its scientific strengths and play its full role working closely with other UK and international partners, in delivering the UK’s R&D priorities in food security and sustainable bioenergy.”

Professor Moloney said: “Rothamsted Research is one of the most powerful engines for agricultural research in the world. It will be a great privilege to lead future scientific developments at the Institute and to deploy its science in meeting the challenges of sustainable food supply, bio-based energy and mitigation of agriculture’s carbon footprint for the benefit of both UK and global agriculture. I also welcome the opportunity to build on Rothamsted’s strong reputation for training the next generation of skilled researchers in agricultural bioscience.”

Prof Moloney will be the 12th Director at Rothamsted since 1843 He succeeds Professor Ian Crute CBE, who retired from the institute in 2009 and is now Chief Scientist at the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board.

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