Alan Lovell preferred candidate to chair the Environment Agency

He will succeed current chair Emma Howard Boyd, after her second term will end in September 2022

Environment Secretary George Eustice has announced Alan Lovell as the preferred candidate as the Chair of the Environment Agency (EA).

He will succeed current chair Emma Howard Boyd, after her second term will end in September 2022.

The EA – an executive non-departmental public body, sponsored by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) – was established in 1996 to protect and improve the environment and employs around 10,600 people.

Mr Lovell is an experienced chair of both commercial and non-profit enterprises and is currently Chair of the Interserve Group and Senior Independent Director of SIG plc and Chair of Safestyle UK.

His executive career included time as a chief executive of six companies, including Infinis, Jarvis, Costain and Dunlop Slazenger.

Mr Lovell was also Chair of the Consumer Council for Water for four years and has chaired the University of Winchester and the Mary Rose Trust.

A joint pre-appointment hearing will be held next week, with the Environmental Audit Committee (EAC) reporting on Mr Lovell’s suitability for the post.

Pre-appointment hearings are held in public and allow a Select Committee to take evidence from a minister’s preferred candidate before they are appointed.

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