This week, Luke Johnson, one of the UK’s most successful entrepreneurs and former Chairman of Channel 4, joins The Institute of Cancer Research, London, as Chairman.
Johnson runs private equity firm Risk Capital Partners and has a formidable reputation as one of the brightest minds in British business – famous in particular for building up restaurant chains Pizza Express, Strada and Giraffe.
Johnson takes over from Lord Ryder of Wensum, former Acting Chairman of the BBC and Conservative Chief Whip, who has been Chairman for the last eight years.
Johnson joins The Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) at a time when the world of cancer research has never been more competitive, but at a time of unprecedented opportunity, with huge advances in genomics opening up a new era of personalised medicine.
At Channel 4, he took over one of Britain's leading media organisations and led it to record ratings and numerous awards successes, while as Chairman of the Royal Society of Arts, he championed the formation of a network of academies.
Johnson is therefore considered the ideal man to build on Lord Ryder’s legacy and take the ICR to the next level, by firmly establishing it as one of the world’s leading and best-known cancer research organisations.
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Luke Johnson, leading entrepreneur, takes the helm at The Institute of Cancer Research, Saturday 23 March 2013