Matt Sowrey - Team Leader, Olympics 2012 - Sustainable Development Unit, DEFRA
Matt joined Defra in 1999 having spent several years living and working in Spain following the completion of his degree in Spanish Studies, and his Postgraduate Diploma in European Business Management at Barcelona University.
He started his career in Defra as a policy advisor, working on BSE, before working as an Assistant Private Secretary to Joyce Quin (Minister of State, Commons) and then Larry Whitty (Minister in the Lords).
Moving to the Food and Farming Group's EU & International Division in 2003, Matt worked on World Trade Organisation policy, particularly in relation to Sanitary and Phytosanitary issues, and EU Enlargement policy. He subsequently spent several years leading on Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) finance and EU Enlargement issues, and was Deputy Head of FFG's International Relations team.
In March 2009 he joined Defra's Sustainable Development Team where he leads on sustainability and the Olympics, being primarily responsible for delivering the Olympic Legacy promise to use the Games "to inspire sustainable living".
