Dr Sinclair Mayne recently retired as CEO of AFBI after a highly successful scientific career which spanned over 30 years and which has had a major impact on the agri-food industry in Northern Ireland and further afield.
After completing a Bachelor of Agriculture degree at Queen's University Belfast, Sinclair undertook a PhD, based at the Agricultural Research Institute for Northern Ireland (ARINI). He then moved to the South East of England to take up the role of Head of Dairy at North Wyke, before returning to Northern Ireland as Head of Dairy in ARINI in 1987. In 2002 Sinclair was promoted to the post of Director of ARINI, at which point his responsibilities and interests widened to all livestock production systems and where his close connections with industry and science influenced the NI and UK agri-food agenda. After bringing ARINI through the transition to AFBI, Sinclair progressed his career to become DARD’s Departmental Scientific Adviser in 2009.
In 2013, Sinclair returned to AFBI as the Director of AFBI’s Sustainable Agri-Food Sciences Division. This role involved leading and managing a comprehensive research programme focussed on the sustainable intensification of food production spanning the disciplines of livestock and plant science, environmental protection, fisheries and aquatic ecosystems research as well as food science and economics.
In 2016 Sinclair took up the post of AFBI’s Chief Executive Officer and in typical Sinclair style, his whole energy was thrown into the role which reflected his passion for AFBI and the NI agri-food industry as a whole.
On Wednesday 5th September friends and colleagues gathered at AFBI Hillsborough for a barbeque and presentation to mark his retirement. Sinclair would like to thank all those who attended this function and those who contributed to his farewell collection. The amount raised (£800) has been donated to Air Ambulance Northern Ireland, Sinclair's nominated charity.
Everyone at AFBI wishes Sinclair a healthy and happy retirement.
