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News
Chief Executive brings successful five years at the helm to an end
Prof Achim Dobermann has announced he is to leave “wonderful” Rothamsted in December
STATEMENT FROM THE ROTHAMSTED RESEARCH BOARD:
Rothamsted Research have announced that Professor Achim Dobermann, CEO and Institute Director, has tendered his resignation and will be departing the Institute at the end of the calendar year.
Professor Sir John Beddington, Chair of the Board of Trustees extended thanks to Professor Dobermann for all his hard work during his 5 years as Institute Director, reflecting that Professor Dobermann had done an excellent job of raising the profile of the Institute and that he was leaving it in a stronger position than it had been in when he arrived.
Professor Beddington said: “While we are saddened to see Achim leave, we respect his reasons for doing so and are grateful for the progress he has made driving the science of the Institute forward and developing relationships with national and international collaborative partners.”
Professor Dobermann said: “Rothamsted is a wonderful and hugely important agricultural research institute. We have worked hard in the past five years to advance our science, become more innovative, develop new and stronger partnerships and have more impact on future farming. I think we have made great progress in all these areas. I feel that the time is now right for new leadership to take this even further.”
Professor Melanie Welham, Executive Chair, BBSRC said: “On behalf of BBSRC I would like to thank Achim for his leadership of Rothamsted Research since he joined the Institute in 2014 and for the partnership he has developed with BBSRC. I wish him every success in the future.”
ABOUT ROTHAMSTED RESEARCH
Rothamsted Research is the longest-running agricultural research institute in the world. We work from gene to field with a proud history of ground-breaking
discoveries in areas as diverse as crop management, statistical interpretation and soil health. Our founders, in 1843, were the pioneers of modern
agriculture, and we are known for our imaginative science and our collaborative approach to developing innovative farm practice.
Through independent research, we make significant contributions to improving agri-food systems in the UK and internationally, with
economic impact estimated to exceed £3 bn in annual contribution to the UK economy. Our strength lies in our systems approach, which combines strategic research,
interdisciplinary teams and multiple partnerships.
Rothamsted is home to three unique National Bioscience Research Infrastructures which are open to researchers from all over the world:
The Long-Term Experiments,
Rothamsted Insect Survey and the
North Wyke Farm Platform.
We are strategically funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC), with additional support from other national and
international funding streams, and from industry. We are also supported by the Lawes Agricultural Trust (LAT).
ABOUT BBSRC
The Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council is part of UK Research and Innovation, a non-departmental public body funded by a grant-in-aid
from the UK government.
BBSRC invests to push back the frontiers of biology and deliver a healthy, prosperous and sustainable future. Through our investments, we build and support a vibrant,
dynamic and inclusive community which delivers ground-breaking discoveries and develops bio-based solutions that contribute to tackling global challenges,
such as sustainable food production, climate change, and healthy ageing.
As part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), we not only play a pivotal role in fostering connections that enable the UK’s world-class research and innovation system
to flourish – we also have a responsibility to enable the creation of a research culture that is diverse, resilient, and engaged.
BBSRC proudly forges interdisciplinary collaborations where excellent bioscience has a fundamental role. We pioneer approaches that enhance the equality, diversity,
and inclusion of talent by investing in people, infrastructure, technologies, and partnerships on a global scale.
ABOUT LAT
The Lawes Agricultural Trust, established in 1889 by Sir John Bennet Lawes, supports Rothamsted Research’s national and international agricultural science through the provision of land, facilities and funding. LAT, a charitable trust, owns the estates at Harpenden and Broom's Barn, including many of the buildings used by Rothamsted Research. LAT provides an annual research grant to the Director, accommodation for nearly 200 people, and support for fellowships for young scientists from developing countries. LAT also makes capital grants to help modernise facilities at Rothamsted, or invests in new buildings.