Kevin Fenton announced as President-Elect of BSA

The British Science Association (BSA) has announced Professor Kevin Fenton CBE as its President for 2024/25. Kevin is a senior public health expert and infectious disease epidemiologist who has worked in a variety of public health executive leadership roles across government and academia in the United Kingdom and internationally. His specialist interests are in tackling health inequalities, infectious disease prevention and control, climate justice and urban health. He is currently Regional Director for London in the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID) within the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC).  

Kevin will commence his one year-term at the annual BSA Presidential on Wednesday 11 September at this year's British Science Festival, hosted by the University of East London.  He succeeds Professor Dame Jane Francis, who held the post of BSA President from 2023/24. 

 “I am delighted to be joining the British Science Association as incoming President, a charity that has championed equity, diversity and inclusion in science, research and innovation for a number of years – values that I am passionate about and have dedicated my career to,” Professor Fenton said.

“I am looking forward to speaking at this year’s British Science Festival in East London, and to working closely with the charity on its programmes, including For Thought, British Science Week and their community engagement initiatives.” 

Kevin is also the statutory public health advisor to the Mayor of London and the Greater London Authority and the Regional Director of Public Health for NHS London. He provides leadership across London for health and wellbeing, prevention of ill health, health protection and reduction of health inequalities. 

He is the President of the UK Faculty of Public Health and the Government’s Chief Advisor on HIV and Chair of the HIV Action Plan Implementation Steering Group to oversee the delivery of the new HIV strategy for England.

In November 2020, Professor Fenton was named by Powerlist as the second most influential black person in Britain for his work leading the fight against COVID-19 and his public health leadership on tackling inequalities.

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