Wednesday 29 March 2023

National Nuclear Laboratory (NNL) welcomes the announcement that Ann Cormack has been appointed as Non-Executive Director (NED), replacing Claire Flint on the NNL Board from 21 April 2023.  
 
Since 2017 Ann has been a Council Member and Trustee of leading international affairs think tank Chatham House, where she held the interim Chair post of the NomCo. 
 
Ann has a wealth of experience, serving on the Audit & Risk Committee for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) between 2011-2019 before becoming NED the following year. She was also Council Member for the British Institute of Energy Economics, appointed as Vice Chair and Chair between the period of 2006-2007. 
 
In her executive career, Ann was most recently Executive Head of HR for the De Beers Group, a role she held from 2017 to 2021, leading the people transformation of the global business through Covid-19. She served on the RemCo of Element 6, a synthetic diamond, cubic boron nitride producer (a joint venture of the DeBeers Group) and prior to this, worked for Rolls Royce as Director International from 2013-2017.  
 
Ann is currently on the Board and ARAC of Envipco, a reverse vending machine manufacturer in the Netherlands which collects bottles and cans, repaying the deposit to the customer to encourage recycling to promote sustainability. Just recently, she was elected to the Business Committee of the General Council of the University of Edinburgh, her alma mater. 
 
Dr Paul Howarth, Chief Executive Officer at NNL, said: “It’s fantastic to have Ann joining the NNL Board. Our forward strategy is moving in an exciting direction and her dossier of experience in the international affairs and energy spheres will be a pivotal asset to fulfil our purpose as a national laboratory.  

“This comes at an exciting time, with the announcement of further investment into the nuclear sector from UK government’s Spring Budget. I’d also like to extend my thanks from NNL to Claire – whose contribution in the role has been greatly appreciated over the last six years.” 

On her appointment, Ann Cormack, said: “I am delighted to be joining the Board of NNL at such an important time. As nuclear enjoys a renaissance, the growth opportunities in all markets are inspiring, and NNL’s leading expertise is in greater demand than ever.  

“With a strong strategy and NNL’s great capability, prioritising resources to achieve shareholder objectives whilst ensuring the next generation of expertise, will be key. I very much look forward to working with Ian, Paul and the wider Board in this next phase of the laboratory’s development.” 

More information on NNL Board members can be found here