David Wells appointed as new Science Council Chair
The Science Council is delighted to announce that David Wells CSci, Chief Executive of the Institute of Biomedical Science (IBMS), has been appointed the next Chair of its Board of Trustees. David, who has been a trustee of the Science Council since 2022, will succeed Adam Donnan in September 2024.
David was appointed Chief Executive of IBMS in June 2021. Prior to this, he led the NHS England and Improvement Pathology consolidation programme, seeking to deliver efficient, high-quality pathology services across England. During the COVID-19 Pandemic he led NHS England’s laboratory response across the country by managing technology deployment, capacity, funding and workforce to ensure that all capacity requirements were met. For this leadership he was awarded the CSO’s Lifetime Achievement award, Honorary Fellowship of the Royal College of Pathologists and an Honorary Doctorate in Science from Anglia Ruskin University.
As well as having been an IBMS council member for the London Region, David has represented the IBMS on NICE diagnostic advisory panels and various national forums. He has also sat as an observer on the Royal College of Pathologist Council and the Parliamentary and Science Committee.
David commented on his appointment:
“It’s an honour to be appointed as the next Science Council Chair and I want to pay tribute to Adam’s leadership over the past three years. The Science Council’s strength lies in its diverse membership of learned and professional bodies, working together to ensure that the science workforce is professional, diverse, inclusive, and engaged in tackling some of the most pressing challenges facing society. The Science Council and its Members continue to work tirelessly to uphold professional standards for scientists, promote equity, diversity and inclusion, and raise the profile and esteem of the technical science workforce. I am excited about the Science Council’s future and look forward to working with Members, my fellow trustees, committee members, staff and volunteers to build on that success.”
Adam Donnan, who has been Chair of the Science Council Board of Trustees since 2021 and a trustee between 2017 and 2021, commented:
“I am confident that under David’s leadership, the Science Council will reach new heights in the pursuit of its mission. Serving as Chair has been a privilege and a fantastic experience, and I have particularly valued learning more about scientific disciplines outside of environmental sciences and working closely with many people from across the membership. I will continue to advocate for the important role that the Science Council and its Members play within the science community and beyond. I wish David, and everyone involved with Science Council, every success as we work together to create a lasting impact in science”.