CIEH Beauty and Aesthetics Conference

Andrew Rankin, Chair, Joint Council of Cosmetic Practitioners (JCCP). Andrew is a registered nurse, independent prescriber and he has held various training and advisory roles over the last 16 years. He was a board member of the British Association of Cosmetic Nurses (BACN) and then vice chair until 2018. In 2014 he was a member of the Health Education England Expert Reference Group’s review of cosmetic qualifications. He is chair of the JCCP Practitioner Register Committee and co-chair of the JCCP Clinical Advisory Group, where he coordinates industry experts and regulators in addressing cosmetic concerns. Andrew is a technical expert for the United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS), ensuring organisations wishing to offer certification (of persons) services in the cosmetic industry meet the appropriate standards of competence. He is also a member of the Medicines and Healthcare Regulatory Agency (MHRA) medical devices expert register.

Anthony Kasapi, Principal Regulatory Officer Inspector of Health and Safety, London Borough of Hounslow. Anthony is a Principal Regulatory Officer / Inspector of Health & Safety for the London Borough of Hounslow. He has over 24 years’ experience within the public sector / the London Borough of Hounslow taking prosecution action against those who have flouted the law in Health & Safety and the London Local Authorities Act 1991 [Special Treatments].

Anthony has conducted many interviews under caution / PACE interviews and have investigated and prosecuted businesses successfully throughout his career including workplace fatalities.

He can influence directors / owners to ensure compliance to act when required to avoid enforcement action.

Anthony has experience of successfully investigating and progressing a range of regulatory prosecutions, with businesses often entering guilty pleas at an early stage. His experience includes a special treatment prosecution involving the piercing of a minor, which progressed to the High Court and resulted in a successful outcome.

Bena Brown, Lawyer, General Dental Council. Bena is a Senior Advisory Lawyer within the In-House Legal Advisory Service at the GDC. Bena has extensive experience of advising clients across a range of sectors including crime, fitness to practice and health and social care. At the GDC, Bena specialises in providing advice on matters such as teeth whitening and all the criminal offences committed under the Dentists Act, including section 38 of the Act for the illegal practice of dentistry.

Prior to joining the GDC, Bena was a Legal Manager at the CQC and has particular experience in providing advice on enforcement and where she was the lead lawyer on a number of high profile CQC prosecutions.

Kathryn Darwin, Commercial Business Manager, Studex UK Ltd. Kathryn is Commercial Business Manager for Studex UK, bringing more than two decades of experience in the cosmetic piercing industry. Since joining the company in 2002, she has played a key role in the growth and development of the business, working across all areas of operations, from supporting independent salons, jewellers and pharmacies to managing strategic partnerships with major national retail chains.

Beginning her career in business development before progressing to Sales and Training Consultant, Kathryn has been instrumental in developing Studex's industry-leading training programmes. Her leadership has helped secure HABIA endorsement for Studex training and established the company as a BABTAC Business Partner, demonstrating a continued commitment to quality, professionalism and high industry standards.

A passionate advocate for compliance and public safety, Kathryn works closely with local authorities, regulators and government bodies on registration and licensing requirements for cosmetic piercing. She and her team actively promote best practice, infection prevention and safe standards throughout the sector. Kathryn also delivers the RSPH Level 2 Award in Infection Prevention and Control for Special Procedures, supporting both UK and international practitioners in maintaining the highest standards of care.

With extensive experience working within multinational retail environments, Kathryn collaborates closely with Studex's global headquarters in Los Angeles and its international network of offices. Through this work, she contributes to the development of consistent training, compliance and operational standards, helping to drive excellence and innovation in piercing practice worldwide.

Kerry Nicol, External Affairs Manager, CTSI. Kerry is a passionate campaigner who has dedicated her career to raising the profile of the Trading Standards profession and wide-ranging consumer protection issues. Kerry has worked with CTSI for over 20 years and has been instrumental in helping to raise CTSI’s profile with the media and building partnerships with a range of external organisations. 

Since joining the policy team in 2022, Kerry has provided the secretariat to the APPG on Consumer Protection, and led a national inquiry on Online Marketplaces and the Supply Chain. Kerry has also led campaign activity on topics such as Safeguarding Our Standards, Vegan Food, Toy Safety and the most recent #CostofBeauty campaigns.

Sarah Clover, Barrister, Kings Chambers. Sarah is a barrister at Kings Chambers, specialising in licensing law. She is nationally recognised as an expert in all areas of regulatory licensing, and served as the Specialist Adviser to the House of Lords Select Committee in 2016/7, reviewing the Licensing Act 2003. Sarah has supported the drafting of the amendment to the Health and Care Act 2022, introducing the new regulatory regime for cosmetic procedures. She will be involved in the development of the emerging licensing system.

Thomas Blackford, Regulatory Technical Officer, London Borough of Hounslow. Thomas is a Regulatory Technical Officer within the Environmental Protection team at the London Borough of Hounslow. He is currently entering the third year of a BSc Environmental Health Degree Apprenticeship at Middlesex University.

As part of his professional development, he has worked across a range of Environmental Health disciplines, including Environmental Protection, Health and Safety, Food Safety, and Housing Standards. He has assisted officers with a range of investigations, helping to gather and assess evidence, attending site inspections, and supporting enforcement activities where appropriate. This practical experience has strengthened his understanding of regulatory processes and the application of legislation across several environmental health functions. Thomas has also been involved in a prosecution under the London Local Authorities Act 1991 [Special Treatments].

Victoria Brownlie MBE, Chief Policy and Sustainability Officer at the British Beauty Council. Victoria Brownlie is Chief Policy & Sustainability Officer at the British Beauty Council, previously acting as Director of Policy and Public Affairs at the National Hair and Beauty Federation. She has more than fifteen years of experience influencing government policy and lobbying across a variety of areas from the environment to equity, local government, construction, animal welfare and business.

 During the pandemic, Victoria was instrumental in securing vital financial support and reliefs for the personal care sector, working with governments across the four nations to ensure the salons on our high street, the brands that supply to retailers, had businesses to return to. She was awarded an MBE in 2024 in recognition of this work and her efforts since to achieve sector representation in Westminster and beyond.

Within her remit at the British Beauty Council, Victoria has helped to secure a ban on injectables for under 18s Botulinum Toxin and Cosmetic Fillers (Children) Act, which came into force on 1 October 2021. She has also campaigned diligently to secure provision within the Health and Care Act 2022 to implement a mandatory licensing scheme for non-surgical cosmetic procedures.

Victoria continues to highlight the beauty industry within the political consciousness as the driven, entrepreneurial, world leading and dynamic sector it is, and those within it whose careers are dedicated to making people feel like the best versions of themselves. As part of this work, she sits as Chair of Department for Business & Trade Hair & Beauty Skills Group.

Having completed a post graduate business course in sustainability at the University of Oxford in 2023, Victoria oversees and sits on the steering committee of the Council’s Sustainable Beauty Coalition, heading up the government taskforce and driving positive environmental change both internally and externally across the beauty industry. From the Plastic Solutions Summit, established to build faster and more effective collaboration in the quest for plastic alternatives, to the Planet Positive Beauty Directory and Great British Beauty Clean Up – Victoria leads the Council’s Environmental, Social and Governance activity, driving continued positive action to ensure a sustainable and representative industry fit for the future. 

Victor Ktorakis CEnvH MCIEH, Senior Environmental Health Officer at Enfield Council. Victor is a Chartered Environmental Health Practitioner with over 20 years’ experience in the public sector. He has been the lead for Special Treatments Licensing for the London Borough of Enfield for 18 years. He is co-chair for the London Special Treatments Working Group. In 2018, Victor was appointed as a member of the Board of Trustees for JCCP, and he advises on matters involving the regulation of the beauty and aesthetics sector. He is also a member of the CIEH Health and Safety Advisory Panel