The chair of the UK’s research funding umbrella body has announced that he will step down next year.

Sir John Kingman said that he would leave UK Research and Innovation in May 2021 after five years in the post, which covered the creation of UKRI and its official launch in April 2018.

Sir John, a former second permanent secretary at HM Treasury, said that it had been an “immense privilege” to be the first chair of UKRI.

“By summer 2021, Dame Ottoline Leyser will have completed her first year as UKRI chief executive and that creates a natural moment for me to hand over the chair to a successor who can help take UKRI to the next stage,” he said.

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Dame Ottoline hailed Sir John as an “exceptional” chair of UKRI.

“His leadership, experience and passion have been integral in creating the organisation we have today,” she said.

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"I look forward to working very closely with John over the next nine months as we progress the organisation’s mission and vision at a crucial time for research and innovation in the UK.”

chris.havergal@timeshighereducation.com