"I am very happy that Mme Gassin is joining us,’ said Executive Director, Geoffrey Podger. ‘EFSA’s task, in a nutshell, is to play a leading role in renewing EU consumers’ confidence in food safety. This will be done by improving the scientific approach to risk assessment and by communicating the results effectively. So, the communications task is a fundamental part of the process."

Mme Gassin has a bachelor’s degree in biology from HarvardUniversityand a master’s degree in medical management and marketing from the Ecole Supérieure de Commerce in Paris. Her most recent post has been at the European Commission, where she had responsibility for preparing the future revision of Community legislation on the nutrition labelling of foodstuffs. Prior to that, she spent over 15 years with Kellogg Company, her last position being that of Director, Nutrition Affairs - Europe.

Mme Gassin is French and has extensive international experience in consumer affairs, media relations, public relations, nutrition and health communications and issues and crisis management. Her communications experience encompasses both the promotion of healthy diets and lifestyles, as well as risk and crisis communications on nutrition and food safety issues towards both the general public and specialised audiences.