Recognition in New Year’s Honours for Professor Brian Ferguson

News

Posted on Monday 5 January 2026

Professor Brian Ferguson was a colleague in CHE between 1995 and 1999 and Deputy Director from 1995 to 1997, has been honoured with an MBE in the King’s New Year Honours for services to public health research and his work with the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR).

Professor Ferguson was honoured alongside two other colleagues from the University of York in this year’s King’s New Year Honours list.

Across a distinguished 40-year career in the health field, Professor Ferguson has worked in academia, the NHS and the Civil Service. In 2020, he was appointed NIHR Public Health Research Programme Director, a role he held until July 2025. He is currently Public Health Strategic Advisor to the NIHR, whose mission is to improve the health and wealth of the nation through research.

Professor Ferguson has longstanding links with CHE and the University of York. He was previously Deputy Director of CHE, the founding Professor of Health Economics at the University of Leeds, and since 2013 has also served as Chief Economist and Deputy Director of Strategy at Public Health England. He is now based in the University of York’s Department of Health Sciences.

Paying tribute to all three York recipients, Vice-Chancellor Professor Charlie Jeffery said: “These honours reflect the extraordinary expertise and compassion at York, with our academics really making a difference to people’s lives and the world around us.”

Reflecting on his award, Professor Ferguson said: “I'm delighted to receive this honour and feel that the University of York has played a huge part in my career. The university will always be my academic home and an institution of which I’ve always been proud to be part."

CHE warmly congratulates Professor Ferguson on this well-deserved recognition, which reflects the CHE’s long-standing commitment to research excellence, policy impact and public health.