They will work with UKRI Chair, Sir Andrew Mackenzie, to support and challenge UKRI to ensure the organisation achieves its strategic objectives and fulfils its vision.
The appointments are:
- Annie Callanan
- Jane Norman
- Rita Dhut
- Russell Schofield-Bezer
UKRI Chair Sir Andrew Mackenzie said:
I am thrilled to welcome our newest board members, whose diverse expertise and innovative perspectives will be invaluable as we pursue our vision of harnessing the power of research and innovation to transform lives and drive economic growth.
I would also like to take this opportunity to thank our outgoing board members, John Fingleton, Ian Boyd and Anthony Finkelstein, for their guidance and expertise.
About Annie Callanan
Annie Callanan
Credit: Annie Callanan
Annie Callanan is CEO of EBSCO Information Services. EBSCO provides tech-enabled knowledge services, clinical decision support, workforce skills and learning solutions, and advanced research. They serve academic, school, and public libraries, healthcare and medical institutions, corporations, and government agencies worldwide.
She is passionate about scientific and technological innovation catalyzing new knowledge creation and fostering tech-enabled services with the potential to yield sustainable benefits for humankind.
About Jane Norman
Jane Norman Credit: University of Nottingham
Jane Norman is Deputy Vice Chancellor and Provost at the University of Nottingham, overseeing strategic and operational planning. She previously served as Dean Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of Bristol and Vice Principal of People and Culture at the University of Edinburgh.
Jane’s non-executive experience includes board membership at University Hospitals Bristol and Weston and has chaired grant committees for the likes of the Wellcome Trust and National Institute for Health and Care Research.
Jane is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, the Academy of Medical Sciences, and the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.
About Rita Dhut
Rita Dhut
Rita Dhut is an accomplished investor with over 30 years of experience across private and public markets. She currently serves as Chair of JP Morgan European Growth and Income Plc and as a Non-Executive Director on the boards of Integrafin Plc and Ashoka India Equity Plc.
With a diverse background in finance, she has held key roles on various committees, including audit, risk, renumeration and cyber security. Rita is a founding trustee of the Financial Times Financial Literacy Charity and is active on the University of East Anglia’s Enterprise Panel.
Previously, she was Director of European Equities at M&G and Head of Pan European Equity Value Investing at Aviva Investors and a venture investor for Newable Ventures investing and developing deep tech start-ups across the UK.
About Russell Schofield-Bezer
Russell Schofield-Bezer
Credit: Russell Schofield-Bezer
Russell Schofield-Bezer is a financial services consultant with over 30 years of experience in international finance. He is the founder and CEO of RSB Advisory Ltd, providing strategic, stakeholder and industry advice to universities and other organisations.
He is a Senior Advisor in the Higher Education sector at Centrus, an international corporate finance advisory firm, and an independent Non-Executive Member of the Board of Governors at the University of Lincoln, where he also chairs the Finance, Infrastructure, and Investment Committee.
Russell was the lead consultant responsible for the formation of Northern Gritstone, one of the largest dedicated investors into university science and technology related intellectual property in the UK. Previously, he has held senior roles at HSBC and JPMorgan.
Top image: Credit: VioletaStoimenova, E+ via Getty Images