John Varley, Forestry England Commissioner

Head-and-shoulders portrait of John Varley, wearing a brown blazer and striped shirt outdoors.

John Varley is Chief Executive of Clinton Devon Estates, where he oversees 1,900 hectares of multi-purpose woodland delivering biodiversity, recreation and landscape benefits alongside commercial timber production. He previously held senior management roles at BT plc in its global and field operations divisions.

He has served on the Environment Agency Board and the Natural England Board and contributed to the Lawton Review (Making Space for Nature) and the Independent Forestry Panel. He chaired the ‘Varley Review’ on how the UK’s railway can deliver for nature and people safely. John was a member of the Steering Group for the Royal Society’s Living Landscapes Programme and has chaired the Estates Business Group.

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