Tim Smith CBE has been appointed as the Chair of the Board (Designate) of Sheffield Hallam University.

Tim is the Chairman of Cranswick plc, a leading supplier in the food sector, and the Co-Chair of the Food and Drink Sector Council. He has been the Chairman of the Government’s Trade and Agriculture Commission and was previously Chief Executive of the UK’s Food Standards Agency.

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.

Since 2017 Tim has also been a Trustee and Board Member of Farm Africa where he is also the Chair of its Fundraising Committee. He has also been a member of Council for the University of Leeds where he was a member of the Audit and Risk Committee, the Strategy and Investment Committee and Chaired other Council committees.

The new Chair was selected by a committee including members of the Board of Governors, staff and the President of the Students’ Union. The Board is responsible for overseeing University activities and determining its future direction.

Current Chair of Sheffield Hallam Board of Governors, Meg Munn, said: “I am delighted that we have appointed Tim Smith to the role of Chair. He brings extensive experience from his professional life and thorough knowledge of higher education from his time serving on the University of Leeds Council. Working alongside our new Vice-Chancellor, he will bring strong leadership to ensure the University's continued success.”

In response to his appointment, Tim said: “In today’s complex and fast-changing world, the role of our universities has never been more important. They matter not only to their students, their staff and the communities they serve but they have a critical place in the future of society as a whole."

“By setting challenging goals, being an integral part of the city and region and living to a clear set of values, Hallam has established a unique place for itself and brought ‘knowledge applied’ to life."

“As a native of Sheffield, being appointed to Chair of the Board of Governors at Hallam is a delight and privilege and I’m very much looking forward to leading the Board in their support of the Vice-Chancellor and her team.”