Our governance
Source: gov.uk (2025-10-16)

The main decision-making, executive and managerial bodies at the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD).

The VMD Framework Document (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/vmd-framework-document) sets out the VMD’s governance and accountability arrangements.

VMD Management Board

The Board ensures that effective arrangements are in place to provide assurance on risk management, governance and internal control. It provides:
- advice on strategy
- advice on implementation of policies and business objectives
- advice on achieving value for money
- scrutiny of performance
- support and challenge on the delivery of VMD responsibilities and the exercise of the CEO’s responsibilities as Accounting Officer (AO)
Non-executive members

Laura Catterick (https://www.gov.uk/government/people/laura-catterick?cachebust=xx-xxxx-xxxx), non-executive Director and ARAC Chair

Appointed Non-Executive Director to the VMD in June 2025.

Mike Venables OBE (https://www.gov.uk/government/people/mike-venables), non-executive Director and ARAC member

Appointed Non-Executive Director to the VMD November 2024

Alison White (https://www.gov.uk/government/people/alison-white), non-executive Director and MB Chair

Appointed Non-Executive Director to the VMD in August 2023.

David Catlow (https://www.gov.uk/government/people/david-catlow), non-executive Director

Appointed Non-Executive Director to the VMD in December 2018.

Defra members
- Emily Miles, Director General for Food, Biosecurity and Trade
- Abigail Seager, CEO, VMD
- Gavin Hall, Deputy CEO and Director of Authorisations
- Muiz Agbaje, Head of Finance, VMD
- Mike Griffiths, Head of Business Support Division, VMD
The Board meets 4 times a year.

Members’ Interests

Board members have declared the following interests:

Minutes

VMD Management Board meeting minutes June 2025 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/68f0c189e8e4040c38a3cf58/Management_Board_minutes_19_June_2025.pdf) (PDF, 157 KB, 4 pages)

VMD Management Board meeting minutes March 2025 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/685ac4c672588f4188620778/Management_Board_minutes_20_March_2025.pdf) (PDF, 152 KB, 3 pages)

VMD Management Board meeting minutes January 2025 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/67ed3037632d0f88e8248bd6/2980764-v1-Management_Board_minutes_30_January_2025_for_Gov_uk.pdf) (PDF, 197 KB, 2 pages)

VMD Management Board meeting minutes October 2024 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/679ce2693bd16ee4b57adf4c/2944392-v1-Management_Board_minutes_16_October_2024_.pdf) (PDF, 171 KB, 3 pages)

VMD Management Board meeting minutes June 2024 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6712542ae94bb9726918ee2c/2810556-v1-Management_Board_minutes_25_June_2024.pdf) (PDF, 178 KB, 4 pages)

VMD Management Board meeting minutes March 2024 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/667d5cd0c7f64e23420900d1/2756515_v1_Management_Board_minutes_March_2024.pdf) (PDF, 110 KB, 3 pages)

VMD Management Board meeting minutes December 2023 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/660fbdd0a43d91001c3af1b6/_2688388_v1_Management_Board_minutes_December_2023.pdf) (PDF, 106 KB, 2 pages)

VMD Management Board meeting minutes September 2023 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/65709e1c809bc300133081bf/Management_Board_minutes_September_2023.pdf) (PDF, 78.3 KB, 3 pages)

VMD Management Board Minutes July 2023 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6523cbc9244f8e000d8e71ed/_2593674_Management_Board_minutes_6_July_2023.pdf) (PDF, 113 KB, 3 pages)

VMD Management Board meeting minutes March 2023 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/64ad1886e1aab2000c03acd3/_2521438-v1-Management_Board_minutes_15_March_2023.pdf) (PDF, 104 KB, 2 pages)

VMD Management Board meeting minutes 2 December 2022 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/64143ab28fa8f5556a0d698e/_2454066-v1-Management_Board_minutes_2_December_2022.pdf) (PDF, 108 KB, 2 pages)

VMD Management Board meeting minutes September 2022 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/638f1b0ce90e071df8dc7603/PCDOCS-_2408358-v1-Management_Board_minutes_27_September_2022.pdf) (PDF, 102 KB, 2 pages)

VMD Management Board meeting minutes July 2022 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/633597d0e90e0772e21c5793/PCDOCS-_2357717-v1-Management_Board_minutes_5_July_2022.pdf) (PDF, 101 KB, 2 pages)

VMD Management Board meeting minutes March 2022 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/62cd2784d3bf7f3002fadb5e/Management_Board_minutes_23_March_2022.pdf) (PDF, 174 KB, 2 pages)

VMD Management Board meeting minutes December 2021 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6243026dd3bf7f32a7c0113b/PCDOCS-_2238736-v1-Management_Board_minutes_December_2021.pdf) (PDF, 104 KB, 2 pages)

VMD Management Board meeting minutes September 2021 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/61c1fb808fa8f54c18a640f0/PCDOCS-_1573701-v13-Management_Board_minutes_Sept_2021.pdf) (PDF, 108 KB, 2 pages)

VMD Management Board meeting minutes July 2021 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6165559fe90e071977182959/PCDOCS-_2136565-v1-Management_Board_minutes_1_July_2021.pdf) (PDF, 107 KB, 2 pages)

VMD Management Board meeting minutes March 2021 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/60e2d9e7e90e07717288f28c/PCDOCS-_1573701-v11-Management_Board_minutes.pdf) (PDF, 103 KB, 2 pages)

If you would like previous meeting minutes or more information on any of the topics discussed email your request to xxx@xxx.xx (mailto:xxx@xxx.xx)

VMD Audit and Risk Assurance Committee (ARAC)

ARAC is a committee of the VMD Management Board.

ARAC supports and advises the Board and AO on issues of risk, control, governance and assurance and other related matters and assists internal audit’s role and status within the agency.

It has no executive powers or responsibilities. It meets 4 times a year.

Members

The VMD’s 4 non-executive Directors.

Representatives from the VMD’s senior management, the National Audit Office, Defra and the Government Internal Audit Agency (GIAA) (VMD’s internal auditors) attend as advisers. Defra officials are invited to attend as required.

Minutes

VMD Audit & Risk Assurance Committee meeting minutes June 2025 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/68f0c1a528f6872f1663ef31/ARAC_minutes_18_June_2025.pdf) (PDF, 181 KB, 3 pages)

VMD Audit & Risk Assurance Committee meeting minutes March 2025 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/685ac4a7454906840a44d63a/ARAC_minutes_11_March_2025.pdf) (PDF, 137 KB, 3 pages)

VMD Audit & Risk Assurance Committee meeting minutes December 2024 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/67d837cad29c27fe69fe9319/2971951-v1-ARAC_minutes_5_December_2024_for_Gov_uk.pdf) (PDF, 154 KB, 3 pages)

VMD Audit & Risk Assurance Committee meeting minutes October 2024 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6751cb062086e98fae3511af/2869025-v1-ARAC_minutes_3_October_2024.pdf) (PDF, 225 KB, 3 pages)

VMD Audit & Risk Assurance Committee meeting minutes June 2024 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/67125457e94bb9726918ee2d/2810628-v1-ARAC_minutes_25_June_2024.pdf) (PDF, 221 KB, 3 pages)

VMD Audit & Risk Assurance Committee meeting minutes March 2024 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/667d62cf4ae39c5e45fe4d47/_2755990_v1_ARAC_minutes_March_2024.pdf) (PDF, 150 KB, 3 pages)

VMD Audit & Risk Assurance Committee meeting minutes December 2023 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/660fbf54a43d91001c3af1b9/_2686602_v1_ARAC_minutes_December_2023.pdf) (PDF, 150 KB, 3 pages)

VMD Audit & Risk Assurance Committee meeting minutes September 2023 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/65709dde746930000d48893a/ARAC_minutes_September_2023.pdf) (PDF, 101 KB, 4 pages)

VMD Audit & Risk Assurance Committee Minutes July 2023 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6523cc062548ca000dddef1a/_2593578_ARAC_minutes_6_July_2023.pdf) (PDF, 107 KB, 3 pages)

VMD Audit & Risk Assurance Committee meeting minutes March 2023 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/64ad185cc933c1000cf9e078/_2520696-v1-ARAC_minutes_15_March_2023.pdf) (PDF, 75.8 KB, 3 pages)

VMD Audit & Risk Assurance Committee meeting minutes December 2022 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/64143b508fa8f5556ef3049a/_2453885-v1-ARAC_minutes_2_December_2022.pdf) (PDF, 160 KB, 3 pages)

VMD Audit & Risk Assurance Committee meeting minutes September 2022 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/638f16b58fa8f569f3571ac1/PCDOCS-_2408098-v1-ARAC_minutes_27_September_2022.pdf) (PDF, 99.2 KB, 4 pages)

VMD Audit & Risk Assurance Committee meeting minutes July 2022 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/633597ded3bf7f34f5e5d812/PCDOCS-_2361898-v1-ARAC_minutes_5_July_2022.pdf) (PDF, 95 KB, 3 pages)

VMD Audit & Risk Assurance Committee meeting minutes March 2022 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/62cd2866e90e077480fd3d11/ARAC_minutes_23_March_2022.pdf) (PDF, 170 KB, 3 pages)

VMD Audit & Risk Assurance Committee meeting minutes December 2021 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6243024ad3bf7f32b65d7229/PCDOCS-_2237291-v1-ARAC_minutes_15_December_2021.pdf) (PDF, 133 KB, 3 pages)

VMD Audit & Risk Assurance Committee meeting minutes September 2021 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/61c1f9ffd3bf7f1f6dbe4636/PCDOCS-_199980-v63-VMD_ARAC_Minutes_28.09.21.pdf) (PDF, 127 KB, 3 pages)

VMD Audit & Risk Assurance Committee meeting minutes July 2021 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/616555c8e90e07197483b6df/PCDOCS-_2134524-v1-ARAC_minutes_1_July_2021.pdf) (PDF, 137 KB, 3 pages)

VMD Audit & Risk Assurance Committee meeting minutes March 2021 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/60e2d8a6d3bf7f7c31bc60a5/PCDOCS-_199980-v61-VMD_ARAC_Minutes.pdf) (PDF, 128 KB, 4 pages)

If you would like previous meeting minutes or more information on any of the topics, email your request to xxx@xxx.xx (mailto:xxx@xxx.xx)

VMD Quarterly Performance Review Board (QPRB)

The Quarterly Performance Review, chaired by the Defra DG FBT system, facilitates formal reporting on both the VMD’s delivery of policy objectives and performance against budget. The VMD’s CEO attends this meeting along with other Defra and VMD officials as required.

VMD Executive Management Board

The board meets weekly to discuss the finances and day-to-day running of the VMD.

Members

The board members are:
- Abigail Seager, Director and CEO, VMD
- Gavin Hall, Deputy CEO and Director of Authorisations, VMD
- Mike Griffiths, Chief Operating Officer and Head of Business Support Division, VMD
- Lee Grist, Head of Inspections and Enforcement Division
- Dr Suzanne Eckford, Head of International Office
- Dr Kitty Healey, Head of Surveillance Division
- Lea Reynolds, Head of Policy Development and Delivery