Adrian Smith

Institute Director and Chief Executive at The Alan Turing Institute

Adrian Smith joined The Alan Turing Institute as Institute Director and Chief Executive in September 2018. In May 2020, he was confirmed as President Elect of the Royal Society, a post he will take up in November 2020 as he continues his leadership of the Turing as Director. He is also a member of the government's AI Council, which helps boost AI growth in the UK and promote its adoption and ethical use in businesses and organisations across the country.

Professor Smith’s previous role was Vice-Chancellor of the University of London where he was in post from 2012. He was Director General, Knowledge and Innovation in BIS (now BEIS) between 2008-2012. He has worked with the UK Higher Education Funding and Research Councils and was Deputy Chair of the UK Statistics Authority from 2012—2019. In 2014, he was appointed Chair of the Board of the Diamond Synchrotron at Harwell and in 2018, a board member of the UK Atomic Energy Authority.

Professor Smith is a past President of the Royal Statistical Society and was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 2001 in recognition of his contribution to statistics.

In 2003-04 Professor Smith undertook an inquiry into Post-14 Mathematics Education for the UK Secretary of State for Education and Skills and in 2017, on behalf of Her Majesty’s Treasury and the Department for Education, published a 16-18 Maths Review.

In 2006 he completed a report for the UK Home Secretary on the issue of public trust in Crime Statistics. He received a knighthood in the 2011 New Year Honours list.