Mike Finnerty
Mike Finnerty was appointed Chief Executive and Chief Nuclear Inspector of the United Kingdom's Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) from 01 July 2025. He has over 30 years' experience in the UK's civil and defence nuclear industry, and an academic background in physics. Mike began his career in the late 80s as a nuclear safety analyst. He joined ONR in 2003 as a nuclear safety inspector, specialising in criticality safety assessments. He remained at ONR for 21 years. influencing improvements in safety and security, both domestically and internationally. He was pivotal in the development and rollout of ONR's enabling regulation philosophy. With his extensive technical and leadership expertise, he brings both breadth and depth of knowledge of the sector, together with an innovative approach and a people-focused mindset. Prior to re-joining ONR, Mike was Special Assistant to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafeal Mariano Grossi. Mike provided the Director General with crucial advice including nuclear safety in Ukraine during the armed conflict and was the architect of the new flagship project, ATLAS, which is aimed at enabling the peaceful maritime applications of nuclear power. He is ONR's regulatory head, providing independent authoritative expert advice to the ONR Board, Ministers and Parliament.
Page Last Reviewed/Updated Monday, January 26, 2026
