National Physical Laboratory announces the appointment of new Chair of the NPL Management Ltd Board

Today the National Physical Laboratory (NPL) and the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) announce the appointment of Professor Graeme Reid as the new Chair of the NPL Management Ltd (NPLML) Board.

Graeme is Professor of Science and Research Policy at UCL where he teaches at postgraduate level. He has spent much of his career at the interface between science and government, having worked in the Business Department, the Cabinet Office and HM Treasury, before moving to UCL.

He spent several years as specialist adviser to the House of Lords Science and Technology Committee and led influential reviews of research and innovation policy for the Scottish Funding Council and the Welsh Government. During the approach to Brexit, Sir Adrian Smith and Professor Reid prepared a report for the UK science minister on frameworks for international collaboration. Graeme is a member of the Council of Research England and Strategic Adviser to the National Centre for Universities and Business.

He began his career at the National Engineering Laboratory. He has a BSc in Physics and a PhD in Mechanical Engineering. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, Fellow of the Institute of Physics, Fellow of the Institution of Engineering and Technology and a Chartered Engineer.

Of his appointment, Professor Graeme Reid stated:

I have admired NPL throughout my career. NPL has a pivotal role in the economy of the UK and is a cornerstone of research and innovation. It is a great privilege to be appointed as chair of the NPL Management Ltd Board and I look forward to serving the Laboratory and its stakeholders during the years ahead.

Chief Executive of NPL, Dr Peter Thompson FREng stated:

I am delighted to welcome Professor Graeme Reid as the new Chair of the NPL Management Ltd board, I know NPL will benefit from his expertise and experience and I look forward to working with him in the years to come. I would also like to take the opportunity to thank Sir David Grant for his time and dedication over the last 6 years.

Departing Chair, Sir David Grant said

It has been a rewarding experience and a privilege to have been Chair since 2015. Many developments have taken place in that time; organisationally, scientifically and in the impact NPL makes in the wider world. It has been a particularly great pleasure to work with such a talented group of people. Looking ahead, I am delighted that Prof Graeme Reid has been appointed as my successor. I have known Graeme for many years, and I can therefore be very confident that his wide experience and achievements are ideal for the chair appointment.