Graham Farrant, the former chief executive of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP) Council, has been appointed to the board of the UK's national workplace safety regulator.
New Role at National Safety Regulator
Farrant will serve as a non-executive director on the board of the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). He is set to replace Martin Esom, who is due to retire from the position in March 2026. The HSE operates as Britain's primary regulator for health and safety at work, with a core mission to prevent work-related deaths, injuries, and illnesses.
The body functions as an executive non-departmental public body, sponsored by the Department for Work and Pensions. Its work involves influencing behaviours across various industries and carrying out targeted interventions with individual businesses to uphold safety standards.
A Career Spanning Public and Private Sectors
Farrant brings an extensive 47-year career in and around local government and the public sector to the role. A quarter of a century of that time has been spent in chief executive positions. His career began on the front line of public health, working as an environmental health officer for Westminster City Council.
His academic credentials include a degree in environmental health, a master's in environmental pollution science, and a master's level qualification in executive coaching.
Before his tenure at the helm of BCP Council, Farrant held the significant role of chief executive and chief land registrar at HM Land Registry. His local government leadership experience also includes serving as chief executive of Thurrock Council and the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham.
Leadership at BCP Council and Beyond
Farrant was appointed chief executive of the newly unified Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council in the summer of 2018, formally taking up the post on 1 April 2019. During his leadership of the unitary authority, he also served as a director of FuturePlaces, the council's in-house regeneration company. FuturePlaces remains under an ongoing internal investigation by BCP Council.
In addition to his substantial public sector experience, Farrant has spent approximately 15 years in the private sector. He led two management consultancy firms in the leisure industry: Leisure Connection Ltd and pmpgenesis Ltd.
Following the announcement of his new appointment, HSE Chair Sarah Newton welcomed Farrant to the board. She stated: "I am delighted that Graham Farrant will be joining us on the HSE Board. I'm looking forward to welcoming Graham into our team of effective and committed non-executive directors focused on enabling the delivery of HSE's vitally important mission, vision and ten-year strategy."
This move places a seasoned local government leader with deep operational and strategic experience into a key national role overseeing workplace safety across the United Kingdom.
