According to Sir Mark: “I am honoured to be appointed as the first chief executive of UKRI. My ambition is to make it the world’s leading research and innovation public funding agency.”
Subject to legislation currently in Parliament, UKRI will be formed in April 2018. At that point, it will incorporate the seven Research Councils, Innovate UK and the research funding and knowledge exchange parts of the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE).
Professor Philip Nelson, chair of Research Councils UK, said: “Mark is a fantastic choice as the first chief executive of UKRI. I am confident he will ensure UKRI delivers on the potential of a more coordinated and strategic research and innovation system, with a stronger and clearer voice.”
Dr Ruth McKernan, chief executive of Innovate UK, added: “The creation of UKRI is an unprecedented opportunity to fuse together world leading UK science with cutting edge innovation from British businesses. To make sure the new organisation delivers on that opportunity it will require the sort of strong leadership and expert knowledge that Sir Mark will bring to the role.”