Membership of the AFBI Board

Board Members

Members have been appointed by the Minister for the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) in accordance with the Office of the Commissioner for Public Appointments (OCPA) NI Code of Practice. The Chair receives an annual remuneration of £29,452 and is expected to commit approximately 40 days per annum to the post.  The Deputy Chair receives £12,289 and has a commitment in the region of 20 days per annum.  Board Members receive a Per Diem Rate of £436 and their time commitment is unlikely to exceed 20 days per annum.

Prof. Grace Mulcahy (AFBI Chairperson)

Grace Mulcahy is Full Professor of Veterinary Microbiology and Parasitology and spent almost 10 years (Jan 2007- Sept 2016) as Dean of Veterinary Medicine and from Sept 2011-Sept 2016 Head of the newly formed University College Dublin (UCD) School of Veterinary Medicine.

She served two terms as a member of the Veterinary Council of Ireland and was for two years a member of the American Association of Veterinary Medical Colleges Board of Directors.

She currently serves as Research Integrity Officer for UCD and leads the university’s Research Culture activities.

Register of Interests/Gifts & Hospitality - Prof Grace Mulcahy

AFBI Deputy Chairperson

This position is currently vacant.

Mr. Tom Tynan

Tom Tynan has a distinguished career in agriculture.  He was educated at University College Galway (UCG), University College Dublin (UCD), Harper Adams University College Shropshire and UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School and holds a Degree in Agricultural Science and a Masters in Business.  He was the 2015 UCD Alumni Award winner from the UCD School of Agriculture and Food Science.

Tom worked across a range of agri-business and policy areas where he held a variety of senior management roles. He was Commercial Director for IAWS Agri-business and subsequently Chief Operating Officer of Welcon AS, Norway.  He served as Special Adviser to the Irish Minister of Agriculture, Food & Forestry in the Irish government.  He served over six years as a Member of Cabinet in the EU Commissioner's Trade and Agriculture & Rural Development Cabinets where his portfolio responsibilities included agricultural markets, trade remedies, research, development & innovation, bioeconomy and biotechnology.

Currently in addition to his role as Non-Executive Director of AFBI, Tom is on the Boards of the Marine Institute (ROI) and the Shannon Foynes Port Company (ROI).  He previously held posts on the Board of Teagasc (Ireland’s Agriculture & Food Development Authority), Agri-Aware and the Scientific Advisory Board of Alltech. He is a member of the Institute of Directors (IoD) Ireland.

Gifts and hospitality register & Register of interests

Mr. Tom Wright

Tom Wright retired as Acting Deputy Chief Fire Officer from the Northern Ireland Fire & Rescue Service in 2011 after 33 years’ service. He is a Fellow of the Institution of Fire Engineers and also a Fellow of the Institute of Leadership and Management. Tom graduated from the University of Ulster in 2000 with a Master’s Degree in Business Administration and in 2010 successfully completed the Executive Critical Leadership Development Programme at Queens University Belfast. He is a former Board Member of the Northern Ireland Fire & Rescue Service and a former Governor of Oakwood Integrated Primary School. Tom is also a former Board member and Audit & Risk Committee Chair of the Health & Safety Executive NI.

Gifts and hospitality register & Register of interests

Mr. Tim McClelland

Tim McClelland owns and manages an award winning arable farm outside Tandragee, County Armagh, having achieved LEAF Marque accreditation improving environmental performance is key within the business. A former Ulster Farmers’ Union Board member, Tim is also a past Chairman of the Cereal Committee. Tim was previously a member of the CAFRE College Advisory Group. He is a 2012 UK Nuffield Farming Scholar and holds an MSc. in Agri-food and Business Development from Ulster University. Tim is a Board Member of the NI Drainage Council for which expenses are paid.  Since 2019 Tim has been an elected Councillor on the Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon Council.

Gifts and hospitality register & Register of interests

Mr. Alan Moore

Alan Moore was Director of Strategic Capital Development in the Western Health & Social Care Trust until his retirement in September 2021. He was the Senior Responsible Officer, for the delivery of all major capital schemes including the redevelopment of Altnagelvin Area Hospital. He also chaired the Western Trust’s International Medical Recruitment Group. Since retirement, Alan has been appointed as an associate of the HSC Leadership Centre and undertakes periodic advisory assignments supporting the health services and Government Departments within Northern Ireland on a limited and part time basis. Alan is a Fellow of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors. Alan is also a Lay Member of the Council for Ulster University and in September 2023 was appointed as a Member of the National Paediatric Hospital Development Board in Dublin. In June 2024, Alan also was appointed to the part-time, voluntary and non-renumerated role of Honorary Consul for Ukraine in Northern Ireland.

Gifts and hospitality register & Register of interests

Mrs. Daphne Johnston

Daphne Johnston has 36 years’ experience as a social worker working mainly within the public sector and for a period within the voluntary sector in a variety of roles from social worker to senior manager within community services, clinical and social care governance and workforce development and training. Daphne is an Executive Coach and has a Master’s Degree in Strategy and Leadership. She has extensive experience in her working life, having chaired and been a member of a range of Boards and Committees, experience of multi-discipline and multi- agency working, corporate governance, strategic and financial planning. Daphne has recently commenced her second term as a Non Executive  Member with AFBI Board , is Chair of the Organisational Development and Human Resources Committee , a member of Audit and Risk Assurance Committee and a member of the Science Strategy Committee.  Daphne has also recently completed a term as  a Non-Executive Board Member with the Legal Services Agency Northern Ireland and Chair of the Legal Services Agency Audit and Risk Committee.

Gifts and hospitality register & Register of interests

Mr. Martyn Blair

Martyn Blair owns and operates a commercial egg production business and a medium dairy calf to store beef enterprise.  He is a member of the Ulster Farmers’ Union Executive committee, held a position as UFU Board member for four years and also sat on the Board of the Northern Ireland Agricultural Research and Development Council.  He was a member of the expert working group on Sustainable Land Management. He is a past president of the YFCU, a past chairman of the UFU Poultry committee, currently sits on their environment committee and was a member of their inaugural next generation committee.

Gifts and hospitality register & Register of interests

Mr. Bill Montgomery

Bill Montgomery has 34 years’ experience in economic development working for the Industrial Development Board and Invest Northern Ireland. An engineering graduate of Queen’s University Belfast he also later attained an MBA in International Business & Industrial Development from the University of Ulster. Bill had a variety of roles in economic development, including leading the sales and marketing teams in North America for 11 years promoting Northern Ireland as an investment location to many major US corporations. Director roles in Northern Ireland have included leading the International Investment Division, negotiating and securing high value global projects, and more recently encouraging export growth and innovation with the advanced manufacturing sectors.

Gifts and hospitality register & Register of interests

Ms. Thérèse Rafferty

Thérèse Rafferty has 35 years’ experience working in the public sector in roles in local government and higher education. Previously Head of Regeneration in Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council, she was lead officer on the delivery of Strategic programmes including Rural Development initiatives funded by DAERA and had a financial management role for capital and revenue budgets. She has held a number of previous Board positions in rural development.  

Gifts and hospitality register & Register of interests

AFBI BOARD MEMBERS TERMS OF OFFICE

AFBI Board Members Terms of Office