Sarah Newton has been appointed chair of the Health and Safety Executive, replacing Martin Temple, for a five-year term starting from 1 August.
Newton has 30 years’ experience of strategic planning, leadership and change management in the business, voluntary and governmental sectors, and of building partnerships between diverse people and organisations, according to the Department for Work & Pensions. She has served on a wide range of boards and is currently a non-executive director of the Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust.
Between 2010 and 2019 she was the Conservative MP for Truro and Falmouth, and served for three years on the science and technology select committee before becoming a minister in the Home Office and at the Department for Work and Pensions. She resigned as a minister to vote against a no-deal Brexit in March last year.
Before becoming an MP Newton was the founder and director of the International Longevity Centre UK, fundraising and marketing director of Age Concern England and marketing director of American Express Europe. She served as a councillor in the London Borough of Merton.
She said: “As we move out of the nationwide lockdown and learn to live with Covid-19, the role of the HSE has never been more critical. I am looking forward to working with the HSE non-executive and executive leadership team, tackling the challenges, building on the strengths of the organisation and working in partnership with employers, unions, trade associations, professional bodies, academics and others.”