Simon Festing
Encyclopedia
Simon Festing is chief executive
of the Society for General Microbiology
.
, graduating with an MSc
in 1991.
from 1992 to 1994, before joining Friends of the Earth
in 1994, where he was employed as their transport and wildlife campaigner until 1998. He worked as a campaign leader for Help the Aged
from 1998-1999, then became Director of Public Dialogue for the Association of Medical Research Charities, an umbrella group representing 100 medical-research charities, a post he held from 2000 until 2004, when he joined the Research Defence Society (RDS). He was chief executive of Understanding Animal Research
(formally RDS) from 2004 until June 2011, when he joined the Society for General Microbiology.
, a member of the UK Animal Procedures Committee, and former trustee of the Fund for the Replacement of Animals in Medical Experiments
. He is married and has two children. His wife is author Ismat (Issy) Festing, who was previously a dentist.
show, The Devil's Challenge, in which he was subjected to procedures used in animal labs, later engaging in an online debate with John Curtin, an animal-rights
activist.
Chief executive officer
A chief executive officer , managing director , Executive Director for non-profit organizations, or chief executive is the highest-ranking corporate officer or administrator in charge of total management of an organization...
of the Society for General Microbiology
Society for General Microbiology
The Society for General Microbiology is a learned society based in the United Kingdom but with members in more than 60 countries. With approximately 5000 members, it is the largest microbiological society in Europe...
.
Education
Festing graduated in 1987 as a Bachelor of Medicine from the London Hospital Medical College. He worked as a medical doctor for three years before leaving medicine in 1990 to study Environmental Technology at Imperial CollegeImperial College London
Imperial College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom, specialising in science, engineering, business and medicine...
, graduating with an MSc
MSC
- Computers:* Mario Strikers Charged* Microsoft Common Console Document, file for the Microsoft Management Console* Microelectronics Support Centre* Microsoft Corporation* MIDI Show Control* Message Sequence Chart...
in 1991.
Career
Festing did voluntary work for GreenpeaceGreenpeace
Greenpeace is a non-governmental environmental organization with offices in over forty countries and with an international coordinating body in Amsterdam, The Netherlands...
from 1992 to 1994, before joining Friends of the Earth
Friends of the Earth
Friends of the Earth International is an international network of environmental organizations in 76 countries.FOEI is assisted by a small secretariat which provides support for the network and its agreed major campaigns...
in 1994, where he was employed as their transport and wildlife campaigner until 1998. He worked as a campaign leader for Help the Aged
Help the Aged
Help the Aged was a United Kingdom based, international charity, founded in 1961 by Cecil Jackson-Cole, to free disadvantaged older people from poverty, isolation and neglect. It merged with Age Concern in 2009 to form Age UK.-Organisation and campaigns:...
from 1998-1999, then became Director of Public Dialogue for the Association of Medical Research Charities, an umbrella group representing 100 medical-research charities, a post he held from 2000 until 2004, when he joined the Research Defence Society (RDS). He was chief executive of Understanding Animal Research
Understanding Animal Research
Understanding Animal Research is a British advocacy group. It formed in late 2008 through the merger of two existing groups - the Research Defence Society and the Coalition for Medical Progress. Its main aims are to "achieve understanding and acceptance of the need for humane animal research in...
(formally RDS) from 2004 until June 2011, when he joined the Society for General Microbiology.
Personal life
Simon Festing is the son of Michael FestingMichael Festing
Michael Festing is a British research scientist best known for his interest in animal testing.He is one of 19 members of the UK's Animal Procedures Committee, which advises the Home Secretary on matters related to animal testing...
, a member of the UK Animal Procedures Committee, and former trustee of the Fund for the Replacement of Animals in Medical Experiments
Fund for the Replacement of Animals in Medical Experiments
Fund for the Replacement of Animals in Medical Experiments ' is a charity based in Nottingham, UK.FRAME promotes consideration of the ethical and scientific issues involved in the use of laboratory animals for medical research, and the adoption of the Three Rs strategy of alternatives to animal...
. He is married and has two children. His wife is author Ismat (Issy) Festing, who was previously a dentist.
Public profile
In December 2005, Festing appeared on a British reality TVReality television
Reality television is a genre of television programming that presents purportedly unscripted dramatic or humorous situations, documents actual events, and usually features ordinary people instead of professional actors, sometimes in a contest or other situation where a prize is awarded...
show, The Devil's Challenge, in which he was subjected to procedures used in animal labs, later engaging in an online debate with John Curtin, an animal-rights
Animal rights
Animal rights, also known as animal liberation, is the idea that the most basic interests of non-human animals should be afforded the same consideration as the similar interests of human beings...
activist.