Tim Bianek has been appointed Chief Operating Officer at UK Research and Innovation (UKRI).
Mr Bianek joins UKRI with 16 years public sector experience, having worked in several central government departments and arms’-length bodies.
His experience includes being:
- Delivery Director for the transformation programme at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
- Chief Strategy & Transformation Officer at the Valuation Office Agency
- Director for Change and HR at the Independent Police Complaints Commission
- IT Director for the UK Border Agency.
Developing UKRI’s strategic vision
A Chartered Civil Engineer by training, Mr Bianek is a project delivery professional and has private sector consulting experience.
As Chief Operating Officer at UKRI, Mr Bianek will work to develop and implement the strategic vision for UKRI working closely with the:
- CEO
- Executive Director for Strategy, Performance and Engagement
- Chief Finance Officer
- Chief People Officer
- council Executive Chairs.
Invaluable experience
UKRI Chief Executive Professor Dame Ottoline Leyser, said:
I am so pleased to have Tim join the team and look forward to working closely with him in this crucial role. His experience across a wide range of government departments and arm’s-length bodies will be invaluable to UKRI.
I would also like to take this opportunity to express my deep gratitude to Mike Blackburn, who has been instrumental in establishing UKRI and keeping us operating through the pandemic, as our interim Chief Operating Officer since June 2020, and before that, interim Chief Finance Officer.
Shaping our future
Mr Bianek, who will take up the role on 8 February 2021, said:
I am delighted to have been offered the opportunity to come and join UKRI at such an interesting and important time. I look forward to working with colleagues from across the organisation to shape our future direction.