Professor James Curran (pictured right), the current Chief Executive of the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA), is to stand down from his position ‘early next year’, it has been announced.
Curran has held the role of Chief Executive of SEPA since January 2012, but will be leaving the body in 2015 as he ‘feels it’s time to move on’. However, he will not be immediately moving to a new post, but will instead be ‘considering a range of options’.
He said: “I know it will be a real wrench to leave the agency. I have immense respect for all that it does, and I’ve spent nearly all of my professional life dedicated to its aims. But I feel it’s time to move on. At my age there are still so many exciting things I’d like to try.”
Curran background
Curran has been involved with environmental science and regulation for 30 years. He has previously held the roles of Head of Science, Head of Environmental Strategy, and Director of Science and Strategy at SEPA and has also been a consultant to the Scottish Office.
In 2006 Curran co-founded and ran Entrading, the UK's ‘first comprehensive eco-store and café’ in central Glasgow (which was later sold), and was awarded an MBE for services to the environment in 2007. He has undertaken studies in hydrometeorology, numerical modelling of dispersion in marine waters, and water resources management.
Speaking of Curran’s departure, SEPA Chairman David Sigsworth, said: “James has had a long and illustrious career in environmental protection in Scotland, and was part of the team which established SEPA in 1996.
“As Chief Executive he has led SEPA through the most transformative changes we have ever experienced and he leaves the organisation in excellent shape to complete those changes over the coming years and firmly establish SEPA as a world-leading environment protection agency.”
SEPA is currently preparing to find a successor.
Find out more about the role of the Scottish Environment Protection Agency.
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