ARIA begins recruitment for a new chair
Applications have opened for the next chair of the Advanced Research and Invention Agency (ARIA), following last month’s announcement that Matt Clifford would depart.
Applicants for the role – which has a time commitment of one day a week – will need to demonstrate “recognised credibility in science, engineering, technology, business, or investment” as well as judgment, intellectual curiosity, and independence of thought.
The deadline to apply is 2 November, with interviews expected in early December, though Clifford has previously said he will leave on 6 November.
Minister for Science, Innovation and Investment Chris McDonald’s introduction to the opportunity argues that the UK’s future prosperity depends on its ability to “develop and deploy new technologies, create new industries, and turn breakthrough ideas into economic and societal benefit” – and that ARIA has a unique role to play in achieving this.
The minister says that the first indications of what the ARIA model can deliver are becoming apparent, referencing its work to date in robotics and treatment of neurological diseases. He adds that the funder is now in a phase of “translating early promise into enduring impact.” A later section of the job advert echoes this:
“The focus now is on delivery: turning early scientific and technological promise into economic growth, new industries and tangible benefits for the UK.”
The priorities for the role include maintaining ARIA’s culture of “urgency, ambition, creative independence, and responsible risk taking.” As chair of the board, the roleholder will provide strategic guidance and support governance arrangements – but will also have a part to play in making the case to ministers and officials of ARIA’s value, including in future spending reviews. Following the 2025 spending review, the funder was allocated a rising budget over the coming period, from £220m in the current financial year increasing to £400m in 2029–30.
The interview panel is a particularly weighty one: former science minister Patrick Vallance, former ARIA chief executive Ilan Gur, vaccine taskforce lead Kate Bingham (now on the ARIA board) and government chief scientific adviser Angela McLean, as well as BIST director general Alexandra Jones.
As this is a public appointment, the panel is advisory, and will make recommendations about who should be invited to interview, as well as who is appointable – the final decision will be taken by ministers.
The details of the previous recruitment round which saw Matt Clifford appointed can be seen here. At the time, ARIA was sponsored by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, and its establishing legislation was still making its way through Parliament. The previous job advert sought a chair who would be able to balance the “competing and conflicting strategic pressures from central government, inside ARIA, and from external stakeholders.”