Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng has announced his preferred selection for the chair of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI). Sir Andrew Mackenzie will be tasked with driving forward the Government’s ambitious goals for UK research and innovation. Sir Andrew has a background in both science and business areas. His early career was as an academic geochemist, then moved into industry and was the Chief Executive of BHP (a mining company).

Sir Andrew is now Company Chair of Shell and was knighted last year for his services to business, science, technology, and Anglo-Australian relations. He was elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS) in 2014. UKRI is the UK’s primary public funding body for research and innovation, with a budget of £7.9 billion for the 2021 to 2022 financial year. The organisation convenes, catalyses and invests in close collaboration with others to build a thriving, inclusive research and innovation system.

The new candidate for UKRI’s chair can be subject to a pre-appointment hearing by the House of Commons Science and Technology Select Committee. Sir Andrew is due to succeed the current UKRI Chair, Sir John Kingman, who announced his intention to step down in September last year.