Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Nesta gets Ravi Gurumurthy as new chief executive

NESTA, the UK’s leading innovation foundation, has announced that Indian-origin Ravi Gurumurthy will join as its new chief executive at the end of this year.

Gurumurthy, currently chief innovation officer and founder of the Airbel Center at the International Rescue Committee in New York, will replace Geoff Mulgan, who has led Nesta since 2011.


In his current role, Gurumurthy is responsible for the International Rescue Committee’s work in designing, testing, scaling products and services for people affected by the crisis in over 40 countries.

Mulgan oversaw the transition of Nesta from a non-departmental public body reporting to the government to an independent charity.

Under Mulgan’s leadership, Nesta expanded its scale of activity and today employs over 300 people.

Sir John Gieve, chair of Nesta’s Board of Trustees, said: “I am delighted to welcome Ravi to Nesta. His record of strategic thinking and innovation will help him build on Geoff Mulgan’s achievement in transforming Nesta from a quango to an independent charity promoting innovation for social good.

“There are huge opportunities today to use new technology and science to transform society for the better and to meet the challenges we face - from climate change to the loss of trust in big institutions. Under Ravi, I am confident Nesta will continue to nurture the best innovations, show that they work and collaborate to scale.”

Nesta is an organisation which uses innovative methods and investments to tackle big challenges facing society, from the frontiers of personalised healthcare to stretched public services and a fast-changing job market.

Working both nationally and globally in partnership with foundations, governments and corporate entities, Nesta spends over £40 million a year working to develop high-impact solutions that can change lives for the better.

More For You

tata-steel-green

Artist’s impression of Tata Steel’s state-of-the-art Electric Arc Furnace facility being built in Port Talbot. (Image credit: Tata Steel)

Tata Steel

Tata Steel hires local firms for Port Talbot project, creating 300 jobs

TATA STEEL has appointed three South Wales contractors to support its £1.25 billion investment in green steelmaking at Port Talbot. The contracts will create over 300 skilled jobs in the local supply chain.

Bridgend-based Darlow Lloyd & Sons will oversee excavation, recycling, infrastructure, and drainage work for the transition to Electric Arc Furnace (EAF) steelmaking.

Keep ReadingShow less
 Survey Reveals More Britons Reducing Everyday Spending

About 43 per cent of consumers said they were cutting back on everyday purchases, while more than a third reported increasing their savings as a precaution. (Photo: Getty Images)

Getty Images

Survey shows more Britons cutting back on everyday expenses

CONSUMERS in the UK are reducing spending on everyday items as confidence in the economy declines ahead of chancellor Rachel Reeves’s spring statement, according to a KPMG survey.

The survey, conducted among 3,000 UK consumers, found that 58 per cent believed the economy was worsening in the three months to February, up 15 percentage points from the previous quarter, The Guardian reported.

Keep ReadingShow less
23andMe

Many users trusted 23andMe with some of their most sensitive personal information

Getty Images

DNA data of millions at risk as 23andMe declares bankruptcy

The recent Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing by genetic testing company 23andMe has raised serious concerns about the privacy and security of the DNA data of millions of users. Founded in 2006, 23andMe has long been a leader in consumer genetic testing, offering individuals insights into their predisposition to various diseases and the possibility of connecting with unknown relatives. However, with the company now seeking buyers in bankruptcy proceedings, the sale of this genetic data has become a source of alarm for privacy advocates and experts.

Many users trusted 23andMe with some of their most sensitive personal information, their DNA. However, as the company faces financial struggles, privacy experts warn that the future handling of this data may be far less secure. Tazin Kahn, CEO of the nonprofit Cyber Collective, which promotes privacy and cybersecurity for marginalised groups, expressed deep concern about the potential consequences. “Folks have absolutely no say in where their data is going to go,” she said. “How can we be so sure that the downstream impact of whoever purchases this data will not be catastrophic?”

Keep ReadingShow less
uk construction

The construction sector accounts for around 6 per cent of gross domestic product and supports growth in other industries.

iStock

Government pledges £600 million to address construction skills gap

BRITAIN will invest £600 million to train construction workers and address skills shortages that could affect its plan to build 1.5 million homes by 2029 and support economic growth, the government announced on Saturday.

Housebuilding and infrastructure development are central to the Labour government’s growth strategy. The construction sector accounts for around 6 per cent of gross domestic product and supports growth in other industries.

Keep ReadingShow less
Rachel Reeves Targets 15% Reduction in Government Spending by 2029

The announcement comes as Reeves prepares to present her Spring Statement on Wednesday, outlining spending cuts across various departments. (Photo: Getty Images)

Getty Images

Rachel Reeves plans 15 per cent cut in government costs by 2029

CHANCELLOR Rachel Reeves said Sunday that the government aims to cut the costs of running its operations by 15 per cent within four years.

The announcement comes as she prepares to present her Spring Statement on Wednesday, outlining spending cuts across various departments.

Keep ReadingShow less