The last year has been eventful. We’ve seen landmark moments in our international effort to tackle antimicrobial resistance, and Europe has been hit by some challenging animal diseases — most notably the ongoing bird flu outbreak which has swept across the continent. While there are a number of unprecedented challenges on the horizon, Nigel Paul Gibbens, CBE, Chief Veterinary Office (CVO) of the United Kingdom and for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), talks optimistically about the important roles for the veterinary profession in the future and the ability to maintain a topclass reputation, including for expertise in surveillance and disease control.