CIEH Safe Food Conference

Beth Chaudhary, Director of Strategy and Regulatory Compliance, Food Standards Agency (FSA). Beth Chaudhary is the Director of Strategy and Regulatory Compliance at the Food Standards Agency as a job-share with Rachel Cooper. They are responsible for the FSA's work with local authorities and longer term thinking on regulatory reform, including supporting Government's growth agenda and 10 year NHS plan.

With Rachel, Beth was previously Director of Strategy at the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education, where they led the co-creation of apprenticeships and technical qualifications with employers and learners. Their work focused on aligning skills with employer needs, promoting inclusion and fostering innovation.

Prior to this, they were Strategy Director at the Cabinet Office, supporting Ministers and the Permanent Secretary. They also served as Principal Private Secretaries to John Manzoni, Chief Executive of the Civil Service. Their joint career began in energy and climate change policy, focused on Government’s vision for a smart electricity network and a low-carbon future, including designing initiatives for energy efficiency and support for households in fuel poverty. A thread across their careers has been close collaboration with regulators and a deep understanding of legislation.

Beth’s early career included roles in renewable heat policy, EU climate negotiations, and a unique legal project in France addressing olfactive pollution from farms. She started her civil service journey in Defra, working on animal health and welfare.

Darryl Thomson, Chair of UKHospitality Food Experts Group, UKHospitality. Having graduated with a degree in Catering Sciences, Darryl joined Bass plc and spent a long and varied career starting as a General Manager of a Public House, and then as an Area Manager followed by time in Marketing and Risk & Compliance, before being appointed as the Head of Safety for Mitchells and Butlers. Responsibilities included all aspects of Food Safety, Fire, Health & Safety, Trading Standards, Food Technical, including Allergens, and Safety and Quality within the Supply Chain. In 2009, Darryl was a member of the Food Standards Agency’s Working Group on Scoring/Banding and Safeguards for the Food Hygiene Rating Scheme. Darryl is Chairman of the UK Hospitality Food Experts Group and was instrumental in the publication of the Catering Industry Guide 2016 and 2022. In October 2019, Darryl was appointed chairman of the Food Hygiene Rating Scheme Steering Group which advises the Food Standards Agency on the development of the National Food Hygiene Rating Scheme. Since August 2021 he has been the Food Safety advisor to UK Hospitality. He also advises several major pub companies. In 2025, he was co-author of the UKH Food Incident Guide.

Jim Cathcart, Policy Director, UKHospitality. Jim joined UKHospitality as Policy Director in April 2018. His role is to identify and influence public policy impacting the sector across a wide range of areas. This includes current work around digital platforms, copyright and competition, tourism, food safety, nutrition and health policy. Jim has many years’ experience in representing business interests to the UK Government, Welsh and Scottish Governments, local authorities and the European Parliament.

Dr Lisa Ackerley, Independent Chartered Environmental Health Practitioner, RSPH Professorial Fellow, and Winston Churchill Fellow. Lisa is chair of the Food Alert Technical Advisory Board, and Chair of the Board of the Reckitt Global Hygiene Institute. She has worked in as an enforcement officer, in academia, in central government, as an expert witness and has run food safety consultancies for over 30 years. She is passionate about making hygiene and safety easy to understand, developing practical, easy to follow guidance which clarifies what is needed to comply with the law and what is best practice. Lisa is also a Trustee and Scientific Adviser to the charity IFH, which provides scientific advice on home and everyday life https://www.ifh-homehygiene.org and runs her own consultancy Public Health Company Ltd where she posts blogs for FBOs professionals and consumers.

William Roberts, Chief Executive, Royal Society for Public Health (RSPH). William joined RSPH as Chief Executive in June 2022. He brings a wealth of experience across public health and inequalities from the NHS, third sector, social care, housing, local government and further education. Previously William was a senior leader in the NHS across roles in public health, strategy, transformation and planning, and he is also a registered nurse. William is deputy chair of the Terrence Higgins Trust and a Non-Executive Director of Housing 21 and POBL.