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Mayne takes up the role of chief executive next week, replacing Professor Elaine Watson. Last month, Watson announced that she would be resigning from AFBI four months after being appointed.
Mayne graduated from Queen’s University Belfast, with a BAgr in 1980 and a PhD in 1983. Mayne has worked in research and development all his career, initially at the Grassland Research Institute in England, and then at the Agricultural Research Institute of Northern Ireland in Hillsborough, which became part of AFBI in 2006.
Mayne has authored over 90 scientific papers on grass production and utilisation, improving the efficiency of milk production systems and reducing the environmental impact of livestock production. He was appointed Head of Agriculture Branch in AFBI in 2006.
Mayne takes over as budgetary pressures continue at AFBI. Staff numbers have been cut from 805 at the start of 2015-16 to 639 by 2016-17. A medium-term financial plan forecasts annual deficit to increase to £7.2m by 2019-20.
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