Guido is pleased to reveal that the Environment Agency has speedily found a replacement for its former Chairman, tanned jet-setter Sir Philip Dilley. As readers will be well aware, Dilley resigned from the £100,000-a-year post after the outrage that he was sunning himself in Barbados whilst some parts of the North were experiencing some of the worst flooding in 70 years. Dilley cited the expectation that he would have to be “available at short notice throughout the year” as his reason for stepping down. Guido is sure we can all sympathise, after all one wouldn’t want work to get in the way of luxury jaunts to sunnier climes…

His successor is one Emma Howard Boyd, former deputy Chairman of the agency. Unlike Sir Philip, who comes from an engineering background, Emma specialises in “corporate social responsibility”, and serves as a director as of a green investment vehicle, in addition to working in varying capacities for a number of environmental NGOs. One might argue such a CV isn’t the ideal one for someone tasked with the large-scale re-engineering of our flood defences…

One of the organisations Boyd works for is ShareAction, which works to “persuade major shareholders such as pension funds and fund managers to challenge companies about environmental, social and corporate governance issues”. Part of this remit also involves campaigning for “long-term planning and investment in tomorrow’s low carbon and resilient infrastructure”. Well at least carbon activist Emma presumably won’t be taking long-haul trips to the Carribean…

Hat-tip Bishop Hill

UPDATE: DeFRA sources emphasise that Emma Howard Boyd is not Sir Philip Dilley’s replacement; she is “interim Chair”, as deputy she was the buggins turn person to be interim while a permanent chairman is sought. Guido understands that she would need to review her other commitments before considering applying for the permanent role…