Andy Lebrecht has been the UK’s Deputy Permanent Representative to the EU since January 2008.

Prior to that he was Director-General for Food and Farming in the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, a member of the Defra Management Board and responsible for policy formation and delivery on all aspects of food and farming, including negotiations on the Common Agricultural Policy.

Andy has spent the bulk of his civil service career in MAFF and Defra, the main exception being a spell as First Secretary (Fisheries and Food) at UKREP between 1985 and 1989.

Posts included Principal Private Secretary (1989-1991), head of Sheep and Livestock subsidies policy (1991 – 1993), head of Management review of Animal Health and Welfare Group (1993 - 1994), head of European Community Division (1994 – 1998), Director of European and International Policy (1998 – 2001). In 2001, he acted as Regional Operations Director, Devon during the foot and mouth crisis.

Andy was educated at De La Salle College, Hove and has a BA (economics) from Leeds University and an MSc (agricultural economics) from Reading University. He received a CB in the 2006 New Year honours list.

He is married with 2 daughters.