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UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) have announced that Prof Dame Ottoline Leyser will be taking up the post as their Next CEO, following the departure of Prof Sir Mark Walport.
Prof Sir Jim McDonald FREng FRS, President of the Royal Academy of Engineering, says:
“We welcome Dame Ottoline Leyser to her new post as CEO of UKRI – we value her long-standing commitment to diversity and equality and look forward to working with her to drive the UK’s capability as a world-leading knowledge-based economy. Research and innovation are fundamental to our economic development and UKRI, under the guidance of Sir Mark Walport, has established a unique role in supporting this vital function. The COVID-19 pandemic has brought into sharp relief the importance of science, engineering and technology in addressing the pressing global challenges that face us, not just in healthcare but in all areas of our lives, and in ensuring that the society we return to is both sustainable and inclusive.”
Dr Mark Downs CSci FRSB, Chief Executive of the Royal Society of Biology (RSB), said:
“I am delighted to wholeheartedly welcome this appointment of a brilliant scientist and communicator, who has such an established record on advocating for strong ethics, research culture, collaboration, diversity and inclusion, and is incisive and strategic in her thinking about funding great research and delivering societal benefit.
“With big challenges ahead Ottoline Leyser leadership will be a huge asset for the research community and beyond.”
Prof Sir Jeremy Farrar FRS FMedSci, Director of Wellcome, said:
“I am delighted that Professor Dame Ottoline Leyser has been announced as the next chief executive of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI). Ottoline joins UKRI at a critical time for UK science as it looks to its future after Brexit and the Covid-19 pandemic, which clearly demonstrate the need for greater global research co-operation.
“The pandemic has refocussed attention on the human element at the heart of research. It has brought out the very best among the research community but also helped us reflect on where research culture needs to improve. As a long-term advocate for research culture, she joins UKRI at a moment where we need to take stock of what Covid has taught us, and rebuild the culture we want, not the one we inherited.
“I would also like to thank and acknowledge Sir Mark Walport for the great work he has done in establishing UKRI as its first CEO, an extraordinary achievement and enormous contribution to society.”
Prof Sir Jonathan Montgomery, Faculty of Laws, University College London and former chair of the Nuffield Council on Bioethics, said:
“Ottoline is an excellent appointment to head UKRI. As vice-chair of the Nuffield Council on Bioethics she showed how her knowledge extends far beyond the scope of her immediate scientific work into a deep understanding both of the role of research in promoting the common good and also the research culture that we need to create in order to maximise that contribution.”
Sir Paul Nurse, Director of the Francis Crick Institute said:
“I am delighted to see Professor Leyser taking the helm of the UK’s foremost research organisation. She is not only a brilliant scientist but also an esteemed leader. As a valued member of the Crick Board, she has helped guide our strategy and research values.
“The importance of science and research has never been more apparent and I know that Ottoline will help nurture the UK’s thriving research environment and secure the UK’s position as a global leader in research and innovation.”
Prof Sir Anton Muscatelli, Principal and Vice Chancellor of the University of Glasgow said:
‘This is a tremendous appointment at a vital time for UKRI. Professor Leyser is a very distinguished scientist and will bring a wealth of experience and insight to the role. I know that colleagues at the University of Glasgow are very much looking forward to working with her. I also want to pay tribute to the outgoing CEO Sir Mark Wallport who has been absolutely outstanding in establishing and driving UKRI forward.’
Prof Sir Robert Lechler PMedSci, President of the Academy of Medical Sciences, said:
“I would like to welcome the news that Dame Ottoline Leyser is to be the next Chief Executive of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI). Ottoline will bring a great mind, a broad understanding of the research landscape, and enormous passion to the role.
“Ottoline’s first challenge will be to navigate the turbulent times ahead and ensure that the Research and Innovation community continues to work together to respond to and recover from the present coronavirus pandemic. In the longer term, huge opportunities lie ahead to maximise the commitments that this Government has made to research. I am absolutely confident that Ottoline is the right person to take on this task and I look forward to working with her as she does so.
“Finally, I would like to thank Sir Mark Walport for his time at the helm of UKRI. Mark has done an excellent job of directing UKRI through its formative phases and leaves it on a sound course, ready for Ottoline to take the tiller.”
Prof Sir Venki Ramakrishnan, President of the Royal Society, said:
“The role of science in our society has never been more important. In the middle of a worldwide pandemic as well as a future outside the EU, we need a strong leader and clear thinker to lead research funding in the UK. Ottoline Leyser’s appointment to head UKRI is thus excellent news. Her own outstanding science, her institutional leadership experience as well as her sustained engagement with broad questions about science and research will help ensure that we invest widely in science at a critical time.”
Katherine Mathieson, Chief Executive, British Science Association, said:
“Many congratulations to Professor Dame Leyser on her new appointment as UKRI CEO. Her commitment to understanding the societal implications of research will be extremely useful to UKRI as it seeks to reshape the research sector in the wake of the Covid-19 crisis. As she said in her address to the BSA’s 2017 Huxley Summit, UK research “needs to address the real concerns that people have” and that’s more true now than it has ever been.”
Dr Sarah Main, Executive Director, Campaign for Science and Engineering (CaSE), said:
“Warmest congratulations to Dame Ottoline. I look forward to her leadership of UKRI and to working together to ensure research and innovation thrives in the UK and delivers for everyone.”
Prof Stephen Toope, Vice-Chancellor, University of Cambridge, said:
“I warmly congratulate Ottoline on her appointment. She is an extremely well respected colleague and will make a very worthy successor to Sir Mark Walport.
“The unprecedented challenges facing our society at present, in particular the coronavirus pandemic and climate crisis, demonstrate why investment in research and innovation has never been more important. With her passion for research, understanding of the sector and willingness to engage with government, Ottoline will be in a strong position to steer UKRI at this crucial time.”
Prof Fiona Watt FRS FMedSci, Executive Chair, Medical Research Council (MRC), said:
“I would like to congratulate Ottoline Leyser on her appointment and look forward to working with her. Ottoline’s track record in promoting a positive and productive research environment – which includes leading by example as Director of the Sainsbury Laboratory – will benefit all UK scientists.”
Declared interests
The nature of this story means everyone quoted above could be perceived to have a stake in it. As such, our policy is not to ask for interests to be declared – instead, they are implicit in each person’s affiliation.