Europe’s largest independent provider of official veterinary inspection services, Eville and Jones, has appointed Jane Downes BVSc MRCVS as Veterinary Adviser to the Board.
This newly created role will report directly to the Board, but Jane will also work closely alongside CEO, Charles Hartwell and Director of Operations, Jon Stanford. Jane’s primary focus will be to advise and support the Board from a veterinary standpoint, particularly in regard to the company’s growth strategy. This will include helping the Board formulate and communicate its opinion on government and regulatory policy – high on the agenda at the moment are the RCVS’s Temporary Registration policy and the FSA’s Operational Transformation Plan consultation.
After graduating from Veterinary School at Bristol University, Jane entered general veterinary practice in North Yorkshire and from there, went on to specialise in veterinary public health. She joined the Meat Hygiene Service, then latterly the Food Standards Agency where was appointed Veterinary and Technical Director in 2002. In 2010, she led the Chemical Safety Group within the Food Standards Agency. Jane continues to work with all sectors of the food chain and research organisations with the aim of improving food safety and animal welfare. Her current roles include: the Chair of the Pig Health and Welfare Council; a member of Defra’s Animal Welfare Committee and Chair of its Welfare at Slaughter group; a member of the Disciplinary Committee of the RCVS; Chair of Food and Drink Qualifications Ltd. (FDQ) which provides qualifications and apprenticeship endpoint assessments across the food chain.
Charles Hartwell, CEO of Eville and Jones, comments: “We feel very privileged to have acquired the considerable talent and knowledge that Jane has following her 30-plus years’ in the industry. Her veterinary input will be instrumental to the formulation of our ambitious growth strategy, and we are hugely looking forward to welcoming her into the Eville and Jones fold.”
