Paul Caldwell will be the new permanent Chief Executive of the Rural Payments Agency, it has been announced.
Mark Grimshaw, RPA's former chief executive, announced his resignation in January this year after more than six years in the job.
Mr Grimshaw was the target of severe criticism and has been held responsible for late BPS payments.
Paul Caldwell was announced as the Interim Chief Executive of the RPA soon after Mr Grimshaw's resignation.
The NFU has welcomed the appointment of Mr Caldwell as the permanent Chief Executive.
NFU Vice President Guy Smith said: “The NFU has worked with Paul over many years, in particular, tackling common land claims where we have seen real progress. We look forward to a constructive and productive relationship going forward.
“Paul takes charge at a critical time in our view, inheriting a number of BPS implementation challenges including a backlog of correction cases from 2015 and 2016 and an expectation that payments for 2017 will better reflect what farmers have applied for.
"Additionally we have their agreed target to meet or exceed the payment levels reached for BPS 2016 - that being more than 91% of claims worth £1.4bn by the end of December.
“This is set against a backdrop of emerging thinking as to how our own agricultural policies following Brexit might be delivered."
