Tim J Smith CBE
Chair of the Board of Governors
Summary
Tim is the non-executive independent Chairman of Cranswick plc which is a leading and innovative supplier of premium, fresh and added value food products.
Tim was appointed as the Co-Chair of the Food and Drink Sector Council in July 2022. The forum brings together the most senior leaders representing the whole of the agri-food chain to address strategic issues facing the sector and to seize opportunities to grow the economic benefits. The Council is co-chaired with Government, currently Mark Spencer, Minister of State at Defra.
In July 2020 Tim was appointed the Chair of the UK government’s Trade and Agriculture Commission which made recommendations to government on its policy for establishing trade with countries and trading blocks following Brexit.
Tim was appointed a Non-Executive Director of Pret a Manger in June 2019 and is a member of the Board and is a member of the Audit and Risk Committee.
Since June 2017 Tim has been a Trustee and Board Member of Farm Africa where he is also the Chair of its Fundraising Committee.
Until recently Tim was a member of Council for the University of Leeds where, since 2019, he was a member of the Audit and Risk Committee, the Strategy and Investment Committee and Chaired other Council committees.
Tim was appointed as a Trustee of the Natasha Allergy Foundation in April 2019, where he provides advice on food sector and policy matters.
In October 2012, Tim joined Tesco as the Group Quality Director where he led a team responsible for product development, responsible sourcing, standards, quality and food policy. He stepped down in 2017. Prior to this he was the Chief Executive of the UK’s Food Standards Agency for five years.
Tim graduated from the University of Leeds with a degree in Microbiology and Zoology. Tim was named a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) for services to agriculture, food, and drink trade policy in the 2022 New Year Honours.
