New Deputy Chief Exec for ASH
Action on Smoking and Health has appointed the Director of Policy at youth activist food movement Bite Back as its new Deputy Chief Executive
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by Dave Cross
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Action on Smoking and Health has appointed the Director of Policy at youth activist food movement Bite Back as its new Deputy Chief Executive. Caroline Cerny will take up her new role at the anti-tobacco charity from 2nd October. Caroline takes over from Hazel Cheeseman, who has moved onto the post of Chief Executive following the retirement of Deborah Arnott.
Action on Smoking and Health says: “With more than 15 years in the NGO sector campaigning for policy change on public health issues, Caroline will bring a wealth of experience to ASH. Before joining Bite Back, Caroline led the Obesity Health Alliance since its set up in 2016, helping secure vital policy change on unhealthy food and drink advertising and the soft drinks industry levy. Caroline has also worked at Cancer Research UK and the Department of Health and Social Care.
“Caroline will have a dual responsibility. As well as leading a collaboration between ASH, the Obesity Health Alliance and the Alcohol Health Alliance to address the poor health caused by commercial activity, she will deputise for the Chief Executive with lead responsibility for data, research and communications.
“The new Chief Executive and Deputy Chief Executive will lead ASH through an exciting period as the new Government has committed to introduce legislation to phase out the sale of tobacco to the next generation and further regulate vaping products. The new leadership will support the Government’s agenda to create a roadmap for a smokefree country and will set out a refreshed strategy for the organisation in the new year.”
Hazel Cheeseman, the incoming Chief Executive, commented: “We are delighted that Caroline will be joining us to support the organisation in its next phase. Under Deborah’s leadership so much has been achieved and we now have the chance to truly chart the path to end smoking in this country. Caroline brings deep knowledge of wider public health agenda and the campaigning zeal we need to truly make smoking history.”
Caroline Cerny responded: “There’s never been a more exciting time to work on tobacco and vaping policy, with bold new legislation in the pipeline. I am also looking forward to supporting a powerful new collaboration in the sector that will drive greater progress across the leading causes of preventable ill health, enable people to lead healthier lives and realise the vision of a smokefree country more rapidly.”
Professor Nick Hopkinson, ASH Chair, said: “The next phase is an exciting one for ASH. The UK has the chance to lead the world on tobacco policy and with Hazel at the helm, ably supported by Caroline, ASH will be well-placed to help maximise that opportunity.”
In 2018, The Grocer named Cerny in the Top 10 of its Power list of who's steering the public's mood about food, alongside Jamie Oliver and Sir David Attenborough.
Action on Smoking and Health is a health charity working to eliminate the harm caused by tobacco use. ASH receives funding for its programme of work from Cancer Research UK and the British Heart Foundation.
Dave Cross
Journalist at POTVDave is a freelance writer; with articles on music, motorbikes, football, pop-science, vaping and tobacco harm reduction in Sounds, Melody Maker, UBG, AWoL, Bike, When Saturday Comes, Vape News Magazine, and syndicated across the Johnston Press group. He was published in an anthology of “Greatest Football Writing”, but still believes this was a mistake. Dave contributes sketches to comedy shows and used to co-host a radio sketch show. He’s worked with numerous start-ups to develop content for their websites.
