Ian Chapman, the current chief executive of the UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA), will become the next leader of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) later this year. Chapman will replace current UKRI chief executive Ottoline Leyser, who ends her term in June.
UKRI is the UK’s main funder of research, comprised of nine research councils and funding bodies through which it distributes funds from the government’s science budget. It has been led by Leyser, a plant biologist, since 2020.
Chapman, a physicist with a background in nuclear fusion, has headed up the UKAEA since 2016. His current deputy Tim Bestwick will take over as interim chief executive of UKAEA when Chapman starts his role at UKRI. Chapman is a current member of UKRI’s board.
‘Research and innovation must be central to the prosperity of our society and our economy, so UKRI can shape the future of the country,’ said Chapman in a statement. ‘I was tremendously fortunate to represent UKAEA, an organisation at the forefront of global research and innovation of fusion energy, and I look forward to building on those experiences to enable the wider UK research and innovation sector.’
Commenting on the appointment, science minister Patrick Vallance said: ‘Sir Ian’s leadership experience, scientific expertise and academic achievements make him an exceptionally strong candidate to lead UKRI in pursuing ambitious, curiosity-driven research, as well as innovations that will unlock new benefits for the UK’s people and drive our plan for change.’
‘We also thank Dame Ottoline Leyser ahead of her stepping down this summer, recognising her pivotal work in guiding UKRI through challenging times, notably during the Covid pandemic and through the UK’s return to participation in Horizon Europe,’ he added.
Leyser said that leading the organisation had been a ‘huge honour’. ‘I have enjoyed discussing an extraordinary range of ideas with an equally extraordinary range of people across the UK and beyond,’ she added. ‘I am incredibly lucky to have worked with UKRI’s dedicated staff, who bring such an impressive breadth and depth of expertise to serve the UK’s research and innovation system.’
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