Science Minister announces 12 NEDs for UKRI

The 12 non-executive members of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Board have today (28th September 2017) been announced by Science Minister, Jo Johnson. Over the coming months the Board will work with the UKRI Chair, Chief Executive and the executive team to ensure the successful formation and launch of UKRI, as well as the strategic direction of the organisation. This will include advising the Secretary of State on the allocation of research and innovation budgets, including the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund.

Science Minister, Jo Johnson said, "UKRI has a pivotal role in our future as a knowledge economy. This is an exceptionally strong board that will ensure the UK’s world leading research system stays at the frontier of science and innovation for decades to come."

Sir John Kingman, interim UKRI Chair said, "UKRI’s Board brings together an extraordinary array of brilliant scientific and business leaders. Together with the emerging executive team led by Mark Walport, we will be superbly equipped to ensure the new organisation delivers on the great opportunities it has."

A key task for the Board will be to ensure the strengths of the Research Councils, Innovate UK and Research England are preserved and built upon, and maximise the value and benefits from the government’s investment of over £6 billion per annum in research and innovation.

The Members of the Board:

Sir John Kingman (interim Chair of UKRI) is the Legal and General Group Chairman and Former Second Permanent Secretary to HM Treasury
Fiona Driscoll (UKRI Audit Committee Chair) is Chair of the Audit Committee of Nuffield Health
Mustafa Suleyman is co-founder and Head of Applied AI at DeepMind
Sir Peter Bazalgette is the founder of a successful independent TV production company and now Executive Chairman of ITV
Professor Julia Black is Pro Director for Research at the London School of Economics
Professor Sir Leszek Borysiewicz is Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cambridge (stepping down at the end of the month), and Chair of Cancer Research UK
Lord (John) Browne of Madingley is the Executive Chairman of L1 Energy, and former Chief Executive of BP plc
Sir Harpal Kumar is the Chief Executive of Cancer Research UK
Professor Max Lu is the President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Surrey
Professor Sir Ian Diamond is the Principal and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Aberdeen
Professor Alice Gast is President of Imperial College London
Vivienne Parry is Head of Engagement for Genomics England
Lord (David) Willetts is Executive Chair of the Resolution Foundation and former Minister for Universities and Science

Professor Dame Sally Davies - as Chief Medical Officer and serving civil servant, Dame Sally will not be a formal member of the board but will join board meetings in a personal capacity.