Veterinary leadership advocate, Richard Casey MBA has been appointed Executive Director of the World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA) with a brief to accelerate its work to create a global community of veterinary peers and to advocate on issues of concern affecting companion animal veterinarians around the world.
Casey has held senior leadership roles at UK-based veterinary charity Blue Cross, including the delivery of significant change management programmes, resulting in improved clinical, team and commercial performance. Before joining Blue Cross, he worked at another UK-based veterinary charity, PDSA. Prior to entering the veterinary sector, his career was focussed in human resources and leadership development for a range of blue-chip companies.
Casey is also Senior Vice President of the Veterinary Management Group, which represents those in leadership and management roles in the veterinary profession in the UK. During his presidency, from 2020–2022, he led the successful transformation of the association, despite his presidential term coinciding with the most serious stages of the COVID-19 pandemic in the UK.
“Richard brings to us not only a deep understanding of the veterinary sector, but also of the key role of associations in facilitating positive change,” WSAVA President Siraya Chunekamrai said. “In these turbulent times, the WSAVA’s role in supporting our profession globally and in raising standards of companion animal care has never been more important. We are delighted to welcome him and look forward to even more exciting times ahead.”
“When I first joined the veterinary world in the UK back in 2011, I was inspired by the energy, passion and sense of purpose ingrained in members of this unique community,” Casey said.
“Now, I’m even more inspired to see this same energy and passion in evidence at a global level. It shows that the veterinary sector truly is a global community – but it’s a community whose members face different challenges, depending on the region of the world in which they work. Many colleagues, for instance, struggle to gain access to continuing professional development – and even access to the essential drugs they need to treat their patients. This must change and the WSAVA is working hard to bring about this change”.