John O’Brian

John is a food safety scientist with expertise in toxicology, food chemistry, nutrition and regulatory affairs with 40 years of experience in the food industry (Danone & Nestle), academe and government. 
 
John is currently Chair of the Science Council of Food Standards Agency, UK; Member of the Advisory Council of Campden BRI, UK; Visiting Professor in Food Regulatory Affairs, Ulster University, UK; and Chair of the Advisory Board Nutrition Innovation Centre for Diet & Health. He is Director of The Food Observatory, UK.   
 
John was formerly CEO of the Food Safety Authority of Ireland, Chair of the ILSI Europe Board of Directors, Treasurer, ILSI Europe and a trustee of ILSI Global; he has contributed to different expert committees and taskforces in the area of food safety, including the EFSA Emerging risk stakeholder group and was founding editor of the leading journal Trends in Food Science & Technology.  In his industrial career, he was Deputy Head of the Nestle Research Centre, Lausanne and Head of Food Safety for Groupe Danone, Paris.     He has a PhD from University College, Cork and an MSc in Toxicology from the University of Surrey.