Hm Treasury
UK Government Investments Ltd (UKGI), the governments centre of excellence in corporate governance and corporate finance, announces the appointment of Andy Halford, Dr Vanessa Lawrence and Iain Mackay to their Board, for three-year terms until September 2026.
Andy Halford
Andy Halford is a FTSE 100 Chief Financial Officer with experience in the international telecom and banking sectors. He was appointed Group Chief Financial Officer and Group Executive Director of Standard Chartered PLC in 2014. Andy joined Standard Chartered from Vodafone Group PLC, where he spent 15 years including 9 years as Chief Financial Officer. Until recently, he was the Senior Independent Director of Marks and Spencer and is a former Chairman of the Hundred Group of Finance Directors. Andy holds a bachelors degree in industrial economics from Nottingham University and is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales.
Dr Vanessa Lawrence, CB
Dr Vanessa Lawrence is a senior business leader with Executive and Non-Executive Board experience in both the private and public sectors. She was Director General and CEO of Ordnance Survey between 2000 and 2014, during which time the organisation was transformed into a profitable digital business. She has a broad portfolio of Non-Executive Director and advisory roles, including at the Alan Turing Institute for Data Science and AI, the UKs national centre for AI and Data Science and the Satellite Applications Catapult, the UKs innovation centre for satellite use. She was the founding Chair of the UK Association of Chief Executives (ACE) and the founding co-Chair of UN-GGIM, the lead intergovernmental organisation for setting the direction for the production, availability and use of location information within national, regional and global policy frameworks, including the Sustainable Development Goals.
Iain Mackay
Iain Mackay is an experienced Chief Financial Officer of FTSE 100 companies. He retired as Group Chief Financial Officer at GSK in April 2023 and was previously Chief Financial Officer of HSBC Holdings. Iain is a Non-Executive Director and Chair of the Audit & Risk Committee at National Grid plc. He is also an Independent Member of the Court of the University of Aberdeen and Chair of its Remuneration Committee. Iain will also be joining the Board of Schroders plc as a Non-Executive Director in January 2024. Iain holds an MA in Business Studies and Accounting and an Honorary Doctorate from Aberdeen University in Scotland. He is a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland.
Economic Secretary to the Treasury, Andrew Griffith MP said:
I am delighted to welcome Andy Halford, Vanessa Lawrence, and Iain Mackay as new Non-Executive Directors of UK Government Investments.
Their strong commercial experience will be an asset to the UKGI Board as it supports the government in delivering value for money for the taxpayer and economic growth across the UK.
Vindi Banga, UKGI Chairman, said:
I am pleased to welcome our three new Non-Executive Directors to the Board. They bring complementary experiences of leadership in complex international FTSE 100 companies and the public sector, as well as corporate finance and digital technology.
The addition of Andy, Vanessa and Iain strengthens our Board and I look forward to working with them and the rest of the Board in supporting UKGI to deliver its strategy and objectives.
Our ability to continue to attract such high calibre individuals is testimony to the importance and contribution of UKGI.
These appointments are regulated by the Commissioner for Public appointments (OCPA) and are made in accordance with the Governance Code on Public Appointments published by the Cabinet Office. These appointments are made on merit and political activity played no part in the decision process. In accordance with the code, there is a requirement for appointees political activity (if any declared) to be made public. Vanessa Lawrence, Andy Halford and Iain Mackay did not declare any political activity.
Further information
UKGI is the governments centre of excellence in corporate governance and corporate finance. It provides expert advice and leading solutions that inform and translate government decisions into effective outcomes in the national interest.
UKGI acts as shareholder for, and leads the establishment of, UK government arms length bodies; it advises on all major UK government corporate finance matters, including financial interventions into corporate structures and corporate finance negotiations; it analyses and advises on the UK governments contingent liabilities; and it acquires, manages and executes the sale of all significant UK government corporate assets.
UKGI is owned by HM Treasury and independently managed with a Board comprised predominantly of independent Non-Executive Directors. UKGI works closely with both the private and public sectors, advising and interacting with Ministers, Parliament a