MSIN appoint food industry specialist Claire Donovan as first CEO

The Modern Slavery Intelligence Network are delighted to announce the appointment of food industry specialist Claire Donovan as the first CEO of The Modern Slavery Intelligence Network (MSIN).

MSIN was formed in 2020 out of the findings of Operation Fort one of the most sophisticated and extensive Modern Slavery Trafficking rings to be uncovered in the UK. Operation for was perpetrated by a Polish organised crime gang who had infiltrated licenced labour providers to supply temporary labour to farms and factories in the West Midlands. The ring was uncovered and brought down by the dedicated work of the West Midlands Police.

“We had found cases of modern slavery prior to this, but it was the sheer scale and organised nature of the operation that made us realise we needed to be more coordinated as an industry hence the creation of MSIN to confidentially share information between members.

Creating the MSIN platform has not been straight forward as we have had to navigate various GDPR and legal challenges, but we now have a secure system in place and with the appointment of someone of Claire’s calibre we believe we are now in a place to rapidly increase our membership, thereby increasing our data sharing and really drive to eradicate modern slavery from the food supply chain”

Paul Willgoss, Independent Chair of the Modern Slavery Intelligence Network (MSIN).

Reflecting on her appointment:

“It’s an exciting time for MSIN – We are extending our member services, with newsletters, seminars and of course our very successful conferences, where we have been fortunate to have attracted some outstanding speakers such as Theresa May. We have launched a new website, the information is really starting to build in the database, and now is the right time for food business to join us and start sharing their valuable data. Membership is not expensive, and we are very much a case of you get back what you put in.”

Claire Donnovan CEO MSIN

Claire is a well-known figure throughout the food industry, having worked for major multiple retailers and growers. Claire has extensive experience in the field of modern slavery – dating back to the working group who facilitated the private members bill in 2004 and is ideally placed to take MSIN forward in this new phase of its development.