CIEH Pest Control Conference

Matthew Davies, Head of Technical Department, Killgerm Chemicals Ltd, and Chair of Rodenticide Resistance Action Group (RRAG). Matthew Davies, Head of Technical Department, Killgerm Chemicals Ltd, and Head of the Training and Certification Work Group of the Campaign for Responsible Rodenticide Use (CRRU UK). Dr Matthew Davies is also Technical Editor for Pest Control News, Chair of the Rodenticide Resistance Action Group, was Chair of the 9th International Conference on Urban Pests 2017 and holds a medical entomology PhD from Aston University. He studied for a Bsc (Hons) in Biology (with a year in industry at the Food and Environment Research Agency), at the University of York. At Killgerm, Matthew advises on all aspects of public health pest control, particularly entomology and provides pest control training, product testing, insect identification, pest control audits and technical literature. He is the industrial supervisor of Ana Carolina-Yamakawa, PhD student at the University of Reading, researching pathogens associated with rats and mice.

Niall Gallagher, Technical and Compliance Manager, British Pest Control Association. After completing his studies in Wildlife and Conservation Management, Niall began his pest management career in 2017. He worked primarily in food manufacturing, agriculture and houses in multiple occupation (HMOs), where he developed a strong interest in all aspects of pest management.

Today, he represents BPCA members and the wider industry to external stakeholders, helping to ensure that pest management is recognised and understood across a wide range of sectors.

Peter Lepping, Liaison Consultant, Wrexham Maelor Hospital. Peter Lepping went to University in Münster, Germany. He worked as a community consultant psychiatrist in Wrexham from 2004-2017. Since then, he has been working as a Liaison Consultant in the Wrexham Maelor Hospital. He has a Masters in medical ethics and worked as Associate Medical Director for ethics, capacity and consent. He is an international expert on delusional infestation. His additional research interests include violence and aggression, capacity, medical ethics, translational research, systematic reviews and various other projects. He has been appointed Honorary Professor by Bangor University, Wales, and by Mysore Medical College and Research Institute, Mysuru, India. He has published over 160 papers and book chapters.

Sharon Hughes, Independent Technical Specialist and member, RRAG. Sharon has worked Globally with rodents and rodenticides for over 35 years. She has spent her career working being involved in rodent control. Her roles, at Sorex and then BASF, involved technical research and development of new rodenticides and working closely with the regulator colleagues to help bring these new products to the market. She was also involved with advising and training on all aspects of rodent biology, behaviour, resistance and control. Sharon was a member of the international Rodenticide Resistance Action Committee (RRAC) and, since retirement is now an independent technical specialist and member of the UK Rodenticide Resistance Action Group (RRAG).