Geoff Dessent is an experienced Senior Civil Servant of over 25 years. He joined the Home Office in 1982 working on prisons and fire research.

Since then he has worked at the Treasury, the Insolvency Service, and the Department of Trade and Industry, where he was Acting Director of Consumer Safety, and more recently headed up DTI's work on Nuclear Waste, before he joined the Department of Health in 2003.

Currently Mr Dessent is Deputy Director in Health Improvement & Protection, heading up four teams, on Children and Young People, Health and Work, Healthy Food Schemes and Physical Activity.