The Henry Royce Institute (Royce) is delighted to announce the appointment of Annalisa Gigante as Vice-Chair of its Governing Board (GB), effective from the end of September 2025. Annalisa currently serves as Interim Chair, a role she has held since early 2024.
Royce CEO, Professor Dave Knowles, commented:
“Annalisa has been a vital member of our Governing Board since joining in September 2020, right in the midst of the COVID-19 lockdown. Over the past five years she has played a central role in guiding Royce through both challenges and opportunities. Following the sudden passing of our much-respected Chair, Sir Peter Gregson in early 2024, Annalisa stepped into the Interim Chair role and has since led with dedication overseeing major developments and supporting a period of real transformation for the Institute.”
“We are fortunate to now be able to take more benefit from her outstanding expertise in technology translation and commercialisation of materials. I am delighted that she will lead Royce’s Technology Translation Committee, where her vision and leadership will be instrumental in shaping the future of our work.”
Annalise added:
“I am honoured to be appointed Vice-Chair of the Henry Royce Institute. During my time at Royce I have seen first-hand the extraordinary talent and impact of the materials community.
“Materials innovation underpins so much of our ability to tackle global challenges and Royce has a vital role to play ensuring UK remains at the forefront supporting translation of great ideas into real world impact. I’m looking forward to continuing to work with colleagues across the Institute and our partners to strengthen the translation of world-class research into real-world solutions.”
Annalisa Gigante is an award-winning innovator, venture capital investor and senior business leader. She has served as Chief Innovation and Technology Officer in global organisations across life sciences, chemicals, services, and digital technologies, where she successfully launched and scaled multi-billion-dollar businesses. With a career at the interface of science and business, Annalisa brings a wealth of experience in translating research into real-world impact. She is passionate about advancing materials innovation and recognises the importance of early investment in building sustainable pipelines of discovery and application.
