June 11, 2014

The World Federation of Chiropractic (WFC) is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr Richard Brown of Stroud, Gloucestershire in the United Kingdom as its next Secretary-General from July 1, 2015.  He will succeed Mr David Chapman-Smith, who retires from this position at that time, but will remain in a transitional role for one year until June 2016.

Dr Brown, who will be moving to Toronto, Canada to take up the position, is a 1990 graduate of the Anglo-European College of Chiropractic (AECC) who also holds a Master of Laws degree from Cardiff University.  From 2009-2013 he served as President of the British Chiropractic Association (BCA) and he currently holds the office of Secretary-General of the European Chiropractors’ Union (ECU).  He has broad academic experience as a lecturer at AECC and the University of Glamorgan, as a member of the AECC Board of Governors from 2006-2011 and as Secretary-General of the European Academy of Chiropractic.

Dr Brown has been in private chiropractic practice for 24 years, since 1999 as owner and Clinic Director of a large multidisciplinary practice in Stroud.  He served as a chiropractor in the medical team in the Polyclinic in the Athletes’ Village at the London 2012 Olympic Games.  He has extensive experience as an expert witness in regulatory fitness to practise hearings and clinical negligence litigation, drawing upon his combined qualifications in law and chiropractic.

In recent years Dr Brown, increasingly recognized as one of the profession’s foremost young leaders, has become well-known to the profession internationally as an invited lecturer in many countries and world regions.

“We are most excited to have someone of Dr Brown’s outstanding abilities, character and proven leadership experience to carry the WFC forward during the next decade,” says WFC President Dr Greg Stewart of Canada. “Although the search process produced five highly talented final candidates at interview, his selection was unanimous by both the Search Committee and the WFC Council.”

Current WFC Secretary-General David Chapman-Smith added his endorsement.  “In Richard I see a person with exactly the qualities the WFC now needs and that I hoped my successor would have.  He is a man of many talents, a true spirit of service, strong communication skills and a profound understanding of the international profession and the direction it and the WFC should take for future success.”

Dr Brown is married with two adult daughters.  He is a keen soccer fan and combines his enthusiasm with providing chiropractic services to two professional teams in the English Football League.  He enjoys writing and is a keen motorcyclist.  In preparation for his move to Canada he has just sold his practice, and he plans to provide volunteer chiropractic services to an underserved community through World Spine Care during the first half of 2015.