Boost to National Infrastructure Commission’s expertise

• Adonis and Armitt to head up National Infrastructure Commission on permanent basis
• Four new commissioners appointed

Lord Adonis has today been appointed as the permanent Chair of the National Infrastructure Commission.

Previously interim Chair, Lord Adonis, who served as Transport Secretary between 2009 and 2010, has led the Commission since it was first established in October 2015.

The Chancellor has also appointed Sir John Armitt as Deputy Chair. He brings a wealth of experience to this role with a long and distinguished career in business and a proven track-record in delivering major infrastructure projects.

Four new Commissioners – Dame Kate Barker, Professor David Fisk, Andy Green and Julia Prescot – will also join the Commission to help boost its expertise as it develops a National Infrastructure Assessment setting out how best to meet Britain’s long-term infrastructure needs.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer, Phillip Hammond, said:

“The National Infrastructure Commission plays a crucial role to help ensure the UK’s infrastructure is fit for the future. I am pleased to announce that we have appointed Lord Adonis as the Permanent Chair. He has great ambition, vision and energy, and brings cabinet-level experience and deep knowledge of infrastructure to this role.

“The Government has a plan for Britain and is determined to make the most of the opportunities ahead. Part of this will be ensuring our infrastructure is fit for purpose to support an economy that works for everyone and ensure our outward-looking nation can succeed on the global stage.”

Lord Andrew Adonis said:

“I’m delighted to have been formally appointed as Chair of the National Infrastructure Commission (NIC), and to be able to build on the work that I began as interim Chair. Our infrastructure networks are central to the UK’s economy and society, but too often their planning has been piecemeal and short-term. The NIC provides the opportunity to transform this and deliver the infrastructure that the UK needs to ensure its prosperity over the coming decades.

“I’m also pleased to welcome the new Commissioners to the NIC. These Commissioners, along with our existing ones, are leading experts and ensure the NIC provides the best advice to government on the UK’s long-term infrastructure needs”.

The Government has also asked the existing members – Tim Besley, Demis Hassabis, Sadie Morgan and Bridget Rosewell – to serve as Permanent Commissioners until October 2020, having been initially appointed on an interim basis.

Further Information

Today’s appointments follow an open competition, in line with the principles set out in the Governance Code on Public Appointments. Lord Adonis, Sir John Armitt and the new Commissioners will serve 5 year terms on the Commission.

Further details on the new Commissioners:

• Dame Kate Barker is a business economist, and was a member of the Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) from 2001 to 2010.
• David Fisk is Emeritus Professor of Systems Engineering and Innovation at the Centre for Systems Engineering and Infrastructure at Imperial College London, and a member of the Gas and Electricity Markets Authority (GEMA).
• Andy Green is a business leader. He currently chairs IG Group plc, a global leader in online trading, and the Digital Catapult, an initiative to help grow the UK digital economy.
• Julia Prescot is Chief Strategy Officer at Meridiam, a leading global investor and asset manager specialising in public infrastructure.