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Dr John Gilliland OBE has extensive international political experience in the sustainable energy sector and a strong farming background. He is a former president of the Ulster Farmers’ Union (2002-2004) and a Fellow of the Royal Agricultural Societies of the UK.

He lives in Londonderry where he runs Rural Generation Ltd, a company that designs sustainable renewable energy and waste management systems and manages a 200 hectare arable and willow estate.

Dr Gilliland has represented the agri-business sector at meetings with all levels of Government, the EU and worldwide economic bodies. He is a former Vice Chair of the UK Sustainable Development Commission, and is also former Chair of DEFRA's Rural Climate Change Forum, and participated in the Joint EU Agriculture and Environment Informal Council under the UK Presidency. In 2006, he was asked to lead a Food Foresight exercise for Northern Ireland, creating a collection of visions and Research and Development and Innovation priorities, needed to deliver the food Industry to 2020. 

Also in 2006, he was asked to present the Northern Ireland Sustainable Development Strategy at the United Nations, New York. Subsequently, as a guest of the US State Department, he completed an International Visitors’ Leadership Programme on Sustainable Development. He has just retired after four years service as a Non-Executive Director of the Northern Ireland Authority of Energy Regulation.

John Gilliland studied Agriculture at SAC’s Edinburgh Campus graduating in 1988. In 2004, he was awarded an OBE for services to the environment for his work on willow biomass and bioremediation of sewage sludge. He has recently been awarded an Honourary Doctorate of Science from the University of Ulster for his services to agriculture and renewable energy.