Defra has appointed Sir Andrew Steer as Chair of the Board of Trustees at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. The appointment was announced on 19 December 2025 and runs from 1 February 2026 to 31 January 2030, providing a four‑year handover from the current chair. The department confirmed the post was filled under the Governance Code on Public Appointments.
Steer is a senior figure in environmental economics and climate philanthropy, serving as President and CEO of the Bezos Earth Fund between 2021 and 2025 and previously leading the World Resources Institute for eight years. In 2024 he received a knighthood for contributions to sustainable development and climate action, and in 2025 joined the London School of Economics’ Global School of Sustainability as Professor in Practice.
Kew is an executive non‑departmental public body established by the National Heritage Act 1983 and sponsored by Defra. The Board comprises a chair and 11 trustees; 10 trustees and the chair are appointed by the Secretary of State, with one trustee appointed by the King. This governance model places the chair at the centre of strategic oversight of science, collections and public engagement while maintaining arm’s‑length accountability to ministers.
Kew’s framework document sets clear corporate governance expectations: the Board meets quarterly, establishes audit and other committees, and operates within HM Treasury’s Managing Public Money guidance. The chair is responsible for ensuring effective risk management, internal control and stewardship of public funds through the Board.
Nature Minister Mary Creagh welcomed the appointment. Her ministerial portfolio at Defra includes oversight of Kew alongside domestic biodiversity, protected landscapes and the Office for Environmental Protection, positioning the role within wider delivery of government nature objectives.
The transition follows Dame Amelia Fawcett’s tenure, which began in October 2019 and was extended in March 2022; she will step down in January 2026. Defra and Kew began the succession process earlier this year, signalling continuity of Board leadership and programme delivery.
The appointment has been made in line with the Governance Code on Public Appointments, which was updated on 30 October 2025 to streamline processes while maintaining ministerial accountability. Changes include the option for ministers to delegate stages of recruitment and extended use of reserve lists; the system continues to be regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments.
For policy delivery, the timing aligns with Kew’s 2021–2030 strategy to address biodiversity loss and become climate positive by 2030. Kew also serves as Strategic Science Lead for Defra’s Global Centre on Biodiversity for Climate, positioning the institution to inform evidence‑based decision‑making across government and international partners.
As required under the Governance Code, details of any political activity are published at appointment. Defra states that Sir Andrew Steer has not declared any political activity.
For stakeholders across conservation, research and philanthropy, this is a governance decision with practical consequences: Board priorities, committee leadership and budget sign‑off will shape how Kew’s science and public mission support Defra’s objectives through to 2030. The statutory duties under the National Heritage Act and the framework’s financial controls remain the anchor points for that work.