Mark Grimshaw has been appointed as the Chief Executive of the Rural Payments Agency, Agriculture Minister Jim Paice announced today.

Mr Paice said:

“I am delighted to appoint Mark Grimshaw as the new Chief Executive of RPA and look forward to working with him on delivering the improvements that are needed. We deliberately took the time to find and recruit the right person to drive the RPA forward and deliver the change I know its customers want.

“I would like to thank Richard Judge for his willingness to take on the interim management while we were looking for a new Chief Executive. The clear focus he has brought to delivering SPS payments in early December and driving forward the Agency’s priorities have kept the Agency focussed on delivering services to its customers.”

Mr Grimshaw said:

“I am very pleased with my appointment as the Chief Executive Officer of the RPA, and I am extremely keen to engage with a wide range of stakeholders as I set about transforming the RPA into a modern, customer focussed organisation. I am also very enthusiastic about spending time with RPA people to understand their current issues and concerns.”

Mr Grimshaw brings with him an extensive track record in improving performance and customer focus in the private and public sector. His role in improving performance at the Child Support Agency has been widely acknowledged, and that success and skill will be key to implementing the necessary changes to RPA that were highlighted by the independent review of the Agency published this summer.

Mr Grimshaw, who is currently Managing Director of the Child Support Agency, will formally take up his role on Monday 17 January.