Priya PatelTLDR:
- Sellafield’s head of information security, Richard Meal, is stepping down following cybersecurity failings.
- This departure comes after a Guardian investigation into safety and security issues at the UK nuclear waste site.
A former Royal Air Force officer, Richard Meal, who has been leading Sellafield’s information security for over a decade, is set to leave the nuclear waste site later this year. This announcement follows the departure of another senior leader, Mark Neate, responsible for safety and security. These exits come in the wake of safety and cybersecurity failings, revealed in the Guardian’s investigation into Sellafield. The organization was placed in special measures in 2022 due to consistent cybersecurity failings. The energy secretary, Claire Coutinho, described the Guardian’s findings as deeply concerning and demanded explanations from the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA), which oversees Sellafield.
Meal, who joined Sellafield in 2013, emphasized the importance of cybersecurity measures in the nuclear industry, citing the significant financial and operational implications of a breach. The NDA’s chief executive, David Peattie, acknowledged the need for changes in leadership and risk management in response to the investigation. Sellafield’s gender pay report for the year showed a widening gender pay gap, raising further concerns about the organization’s internal culture.
