The University of Greenwich has announced that it has appointed Professor Andrew Westby to be Director of the Natural Resources Institute (NRI). He will take up his new post on 1 May 2010 and will replace Dr Guy Poulter who will be stepping down after successfully leading the Institute for the past eight years.

A leading world expert in tropical root and tuber crops, Andrew is currently Professor of Food Technology and President of the International Society for Tropical Root Crops. With a first degree from the University of Leeds and a PhD from University of Reading, he joined the Natural Resources Institute as a Scientific Officer in 1987. He was promoted to Professor in 1998 and appointed Director of Research and Enterprise in 2001.

Guy Poulter, current Director of NRI, says "The work of the Natural Resources Institute is at the heart of the UK's drive to support smallholder farmers in poor countries around the world and Professor Westby, with over 20 years of experience helping smallholder farmers in poor developing countries develop better markets for their products, is particularly well suited to lead the Institute in the next stage of its hundred year old history."

Andrew Westby says "I am very excited to have this opportunity to lead the Natural Resources Institute at the University of Greenwich. With global concerns about food security, adaptation to climate change and poverty reduction, the Institute's research and development work has never been more important. I look forward to further development of our major theme areas and academic programmes to meet these global challenges."