Paul Hayden

Biography

Since 2010 I have worked as a Senior Consultant for the World Bank’s Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery, and United Nations Development Program. My specialist areas are in disaster risk reduction and climate change adaption, with experience supporting major investment projects in Eastern Europe, Africa, and Asia. I also serve as Chair of an independent group responsible for providing assurance on research operations and risk in Antarctica. From 1978-2010 I served in the Fire and Rescue Service, including strategic management roles in Suffolk and Norfolk, before being appointed as the Chief Fire Officer and Authority Chief Executive in Hereford and Worcester. From 2011 – 2021 I served as Chair of the Anglia (Eastern) Regional Flood and Coastal Committee, where my work included oversight of the Broadland flood alleviation project, the Bacton and Walcott sandscaping project, flood protection schemes in Great Yarmouth, Lowestoft, and Ipswich, and the £9bn Thames Estuary 2100 project. From 2013 – 2020 I served as a Non-Executive Director of the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC). NERC delivers world-leading environmental research that enables society to respond urgently to global climate change and the increasing pressures on natural resources. As Non-Executive Director, I assisted the Board in oversight of research policy, spending plans for NERCs £400m budget, and management of its six major UK environmental research centres: British Antarctic Survey (BAS), British Geological Survey (BGS), Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (CEH), National Oceanography Centre (NOC), National Centre for Atmospheric Science (NCAS), National Centre for Earth Observation (NCEO).

Register of interests.