Nesta, the innovation charity, has announced the appointment of four new trustees to its board. From October 1, Nesta has appointed Seun Akindele, Catherine Brien, Liz Ditchburn, and Jeremy King as new trustees.

The new trustees have backgrounds spanning the third sector, the public sector, the tech private sector, and news media. They have each been appointed for three-year terms to help Nesta deliver its mission-driven strategy to 2030.

Ravi Gurumurthy, Chief Executive of Nesta, said:

“One of Nesta’s strengths is the variety of experience on its board and our newest Trustees encapsulate that breadth of knowledge. I am delighted to welcome Seun, Catherine, Liz and Jeremy as trustees and I look forward to working closely with them. Nesta will greatly benefit from drawing on their expertise from across the private, public and charity sectors to help give every child a fairer start, help people to lead a healthy life, and help the planet to have a sustainable future.”

Seun Akindele

Seun Akindele is the Head of Data and Innovation at suicide prevention charity Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM). Seun is responsible for the development, implementation and use of data to enable insight-led decision-making and allow CALM to deliver products and services that meet user and organisational needs. Prior to CALM, Seun worked for over a decade in the private sector and has experience in publishing, agency work and venture capital.

Seun Akindele said: “I am looking forward to working with my fellow trustees and the executive team, to help the organisation deliver on its ambitious 10-year plan to improve the lives of millions through mission-led innovation. I'm thrilled to have the opportunity to use my experience in data and innovation to support the terrific work the team at Nesta are doing to tackle the biggest societal challenges of our time.”

Catherine Brien

Catherine is Chief Data Officer at Guardian News & Media. Catherine has particular expertise in data, data science, product, innovation and customer proposition. Previously, Catherine worked with the Co-op Group as Data Science Director and spent 16 years as a management consultant with Oliver Wyman, where she worked with retail and consumer clients across Europe and North America.

Catherine has a passion for equality and diversity and has led many social impact initiatives, including running due diligence for impact investors and working directly with charities spanning education, disability, health and the arts. For three years, Catherine was Chair of Trustees for PEAS (Promoting Equality in African Schools) and she served as a trustee and member of the audit committee for a further three years.

Catherine Brien said: “I’m thrilled to be joining the board of Nesta, an organisation whose approach of harnessing innovation for the benefit of society, I am so passionate about. The three missions are so critical for us all - I can’t wait to get started, working with Nesta’s very talented teams and hopefully contributing some of my own data and technology experience.”

Liz Ditchburn

Liz Ditchburn is a public sector leader and senior policymaker. Liz has more than three decades of experience in the UK civil service and devolved administrations in both domestic and international settings. Most recently, she was Director General for Economy for the Scottish Government, leading on all aspects of the economy and the drive towards net zero in Scotland. Previously, she was the Department for International Development’s (now Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) Policy Director and its first Value for Money Director. Across her executive career she has worked to integrate economic, social and environmental change to secure better outcomes for people, place and planet.

Liz Ditchburn said: “I am delighted to be joining Nesta’s board of trustees. Without innovation, the world will fail to tackle the challenges of our time. Nesta, with its clear mission-focused strategy and a strong mix of skills and disciplines, has huge potential to make a difference. Being an endowed charity is a big privilege and carries with it the responsibility to use resources as smartly as possible to create maximum impact. I’m excited to have the opportunity to support Nesta as it works on its ambitious missions and particularly delighted to be able to play a specific role in the sustainable future mission, focusing on decarbonising households. Nesta’s current work on the Money Saving Boiler Challenge is a fantastic example of the impact it can have.”

Jeremy King

Jeremy is CEO and Founder of Attest, a technology company based in London and New York. Attest makes it simple and fast for anyone to create high-quality, powerful research. He previously worked at McKinsey & Company, holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and was originally a scientist, focusing on genetics and ecology. Jeremy's previous board roles include eight years as trustee and four years as Chair at REAch2 Academy Trust, the largest primary schools trust in the UK, where he remains a member.

Jeremy King said: “Many great innovations need a spark – an activation energy – to help create a reaction and reach full potential. I am hugely excited to support Nesta’s mission in identifying new ideas and providing that activation energy to help scale innovations that improve lives across the UK. Education improvement, reducing inequality and creating new opportunities are personal passions and I look forward to helping Nesta support innovation for positive social impact across many of society’s biggest problems and opportunities.”

Ends

Notes to editors

1. For more information on the analysis or to speak to one of the experts involved, please contact Kieran Lowe, Media Manager, on 020 7438 2576 or [email protected]. Spokespeople are available for broadcast interviews.

About Nesta

We are Nesta, the UK's innovation agency for social good. We design, test and scale solutions to society's biggest problems. Our three missions are to give every child a fair start, help people live healthy lives, and create a sustainable future where the economy works for both people and the planet.

For over 20 years, we have worked to support, encourage and inspire innovation. We work in three roles: as an innovation partner working with frontline organisations to design and test new solutions, as a venture builder supporting new and early stage businesses, and as a system shaper creating the conditions for innovation.

Harnessing the rigour of science and the creativity of design, we work relentlessly to change millions of lives for the better. Find out more at nesta.org.uk