Professor Poppy, who will take up the post on 1 October 2024, is a biologist by background and widely known for his expertise in transforming food systems, both nationally and globally, through themes of human health and sustainability. His roles have included Head of the University of Southampton’s School of Biological Sciences and cross-university directorships focused on interdisciplinary research. He has also served as Chief Scientific Adviser to the Food Standards Agency and Interim Executive Chair of the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC).
He will provide strategic leadership and oversight of the University’s research and innovation activities, ensuring this meets the University’s strategic ambition to produce world-leading research and innovation with local, national and global impact.
Professor Poppy is a graduate of Imperial College London and the University of Oxford. He worked at Rothamsted Research, where he held pivotal roles as Higher, Senior and Principal Scientific Officer, before joining the University of Southampton in 2001, where he served as Associate Vice-President for interdisciplinary research and as Head of the School of Biological Sciences. He drove forward the interdisciplinary research agenda through the creation of a new interdisciplinary research track and interdisciplinary hub and strongly believes that the most pressing issues facing us today can only be solved through interdisciplinary work.
Professor Poppy was a member of the Research Excellence Framework (REF2014 and REF2021) panel assessing the quality of agriculture, food and veterinary science in the UK. His tenure as inaugural Chief Scientific Adviser to the Food Standards Agency coincided with the Brexit vote, which he describes as a fascinating time to be involved in national policy. He was later seconded to UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) to direct a £50m research programme into food systems. His work involved engaging with government departments and major retailers such as Asda and Sainsbury’s as well as community organisations like food banks, and he is a firm believer in the power of local approaches.
Professor Poppy has served as Deputy Executive Chair, and later Interim Executive Chair, of the BBSRC, supporting strategic developments, linking bioscience to other disciplines and working collaboratively with partners across UKRI and more broadly. He was awarded the Companion of the Order of the Bath in the Queen’s Birthday Honours 2021 and made a Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences in 2022.
Professor Poppy said: “I am thrilled to be joining the University of Bristol as PVC for Research and Innovation. I have admired the University of Bristol for many years and look forward to working with my new colleagues in ensuring that the world-class research conducted across the whole University has local, national and global impact. The city and University have a sense of pride and are widely recognised for their innovative culture which I believe will be important in addressing the challenges facing society and improving our daily lives”.
Professor Evelyn Welch, Vice-Chancellor and President, said: "I am delighted to welcome Guy to Bristol. He will be a wonderful addition to our team as we seek to strengthen our reputation as one of the world's most successful universities for research and innovation."
Professor Judith Squires, Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Provost, said: "I am delighted with Guy’s appointment to this crucially important leadership role at Bristol. He brings a wealth of relevant experience, which makes him ideally placed to further enhance the University of Bristol’s research and innovation culture and strengthen our global impact. I look forward to working closely with him in the years ahead."