Dr. Gwenllian Mair Rees Appointed BVA President for 2026-2027

Dr. Rees, a Welsh farm vet and academic, has extensive experience in both practice and academia. Before her appointment, she served as the Welsh Branch President from 2023 to 2025 and is a founding academic at Aberystwyth University's School of Veterinary Science, where she currently lectures. She is recognized in the Welsh veterinary community for leading the Veterinary Prescribing Champions Network under the Welsh Government's national antimicrobial stewardship programme, a role for which she received an RCVS Fellowship last year.

In her inaugural address, Dr. Rees outlined her theme for the year: promoting a profession that is prepared and united in enhancing national disease resilience. This focus stems from concerns among BVA members regarding the veterinary profession's ability to respond to major notifiable disease outbreaks, emphasizing the need for improved support across all areas of practice.

Dr. Rees stressed that achieving disease resilience does not require every veterinarian to be a specialist. Instead, she advocates for a broader approach to readiness, skills, training, and the capacity to respond rapidly in emergencies affecting animals, clients, and communities.

Throughout her presidency, the BVA will also address other significant issues, including guiding members through the recent Competition and Markets Authority reforms announced earlier this week, ensuring these changes benefit veterinary teams, clients, and animal welfare, and continuing the campaign for reform of the Veterinary Surgeons Act.

Joining Dr. Rees on the BVA Officer team are outgoing President Dr. Rob Williams FRCVS, who will serve as Senior Vice President, and Dr. Fieke Molenaar MRCVS, a specialist in zoo and wildlife medicine, who has been elected as Junior Vice President.