Paul Brown

This article is part of the Nuclear Spin project of Spinwatch.

Paul Brown is the former chief operating officer of the Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) until 2012. He is now chief operating officer of CH4e, a company focused on sustainable on-site energy generation and supply.

Background

Brown's previous government positions were as the HSE's interim programme director and interim operations director, and as an interim director of the Forensic Science Service.

According to his most recent biography:

Paul Brown has joined CH4e after spending the last 2 years as interim COO of the Office for Nuclear Regulation working with the HSE, industry and DECC in leading reform of the UK nuclear regulator as they prepare for nuclear new build. Prior to that he was CEO of AEA Technology businesses in the UK, USA and Germany and also Chairman of their CICAM joint venture in China. He spent 10 years with BOC as Vice President of Engineering and Supply with specific responsibility for modularisation and efficient global deployment of multi million pound process plant for industrial gases applications. In recent times he has had executive operational leadership roles with AMEC and The Forensic Science Service. Paul is a Chartered Engineer and a Fellow of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers and spent his early career with Redland, ESAB and Whessoe.

Nuclear regulator under scrutiny for its directors' tax arrangements

In February 2012, Brown was one of two ONR senior officials who had their contracts terminated by the Health and Safety Executive after it emerged via the Exaro investigative website that they were receiving payment through private companies rather than the staff payroll. Brown was paid via his company Operations Improvements Ltd, based in Surrey.

Friends of Brown however claimed he was a legitimate freelancer working with a range of corporate clients. His company reported an income of more than £145,000 in the financial year 2011 according to the Guardian.