.tmb-propic-md.jpg?Culture=en&sfvrsn=c25d2b2f_9 "Professor Louis Chesler (Profile pic)")
Dr Michelle Harrison – an international business leader with three decades of experience advising clients in global public policy, public affairs and brand building – has joined the Board of Trustees of The Institute of Cancer Research, London.
The Board of Trustees, which is principally made up of volunteers who bring expertise from outside of the organisation, has responsibility for the governance of The Institute of Cancer Research (ICR).
Business leader and innovator
Dr Harrison has an impressive career – with a wealth of executive board level experience gained in FTSE-listed and private equity backed businesses, including 17 years as a Chief Executive. She is the President and was Founding CEO of the Verian Group, the largest independent specialist public policy consulting business outside the US; prior to that, she was the Founding CEO of the Government and Public Sector Practice of the WPP Group.
She is recognised as an entrepreneurial leader, strategist and innovator with international experience in corporate divestment, acquisition and integration. Michelle is also known as an expert on social trends and geopolitics, and is a media commentator and platform speaker, including at Davos. Earlier in her career she was a book author and published academic.
Extensive experience in charity governance
Michelle has held charity board positions for more than twenty years. She is currently serving as a Trustee of Big Win Philanthropy, an organisation working to improve lives directly and build demographic dividends for equitable economic growth, peace and security across Africa. She was also, until last year, a Trustee to the Board of Social Finance UK.
Previously Michelle has served on the Boards of Nesta UK and Involve. She was a member of the advisory board of The Discovery Decade, a programme run by the Campaign for Science and Engineering (CaSE); and is a founding member of the Advisory Board of the Reykjavik Global Forum, an advocacy group promoting global gender equality.
Professor Dame Julia Buckingham, Chair of the Board of Trustees at The Institute of Cancer Research, London, said:
"I am delighted to welcome Dr Michelle Harrison to the ICR’s Board of Trustees. She has outstanding professional experience of creating new businesses, and of leading and growing them. Michelle’s policy and public affairs expertise will be a helpful addition to the capabilities we have on the Board. I have no doubt that her contributions will help drive an even stronger future for the ICR."
Dr Michelle Harrison said:
"The Institute of Cancer Research has an extraordinarily inspiring history of delivering key discoveries in their mission to defeat cancer. It will be an honour to work alongside the ICR’s staff and students, and my fellow Trustees, towards our shared mission. I’m delighted to have this opportunity to contribute."
