Peter Barron, Professor Mairi Spowage and Dr Sarah Walsh have newly joined the Board of the UK Statistics Authority as non-executive directors (NEDs). Their expertise in communications, economic statistics, audit and risk will provide valuable support and challenge as the Authority sets out a new strategy in 2025, and seeks to implement its response to the Lievesley Review and feedback from the first ever UK Statistics Assembly.
The new NEDs were recommended by an assessment panel led by the Authority’s Chair, Sir Robert Chote, after an open competition regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments. Ministers have appointed each to serve a three-year term beginning 31 January 2025.
Peter Barron is a communications expert, with senior experience in consumer technology and public affairs. He spent more than 20 years working in television news and current affairs at the BBC, ITV, and Channel 4, before working in external relations at Google from 2008 to 2018, and then at Stripe from 2021 to 2023. Peter holds a BSc in European Studies and Modern Languages from the University of Manchester (UMIST) and is a trustee of the Disasters Emergency Committee and the Quentin Blake Centre for Illustration.
Professor Mairi Spowage is Director of the Fraser of Allander Institute, Scotland’s leading economic research institute at the University of Strathclyde. Mairi leads research on modelling economic impact, economic measurement, regional economic and trade performance and public sector finances. Mairi has previously held roles as the Deputy Chief Executive of the Scottish Fiscal Commission and Head of National Accounts at the Scottish Government, with almost 20 years of experience of working in statistics and analysis, including transport, household surveys and performance measurement.
Dr Sarah Walsh is a risk and governance specialist, currently advising clients in different sectors. Sarah has 20 years’ generalist experience, including Risk Director roles at Telegraph Media Group, Guardian Media Group, Save the Children and Imperial College London. Presently, she serves as a non-executive director at the Royal College of Nursing Publishing, including membership of the Royal College of Nursing’s Audit Committee and Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Committee. She also serves as independent non-executive member of the Audit and Risk Committees for Science Museum Group, St John’s Ambulance and the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors. Sarah holds a Master’s degree in Astronautics and Space Engineering from Cranfield University, and a PhD in Aerodynamics from the University of Manchester.
Sir Robert Chote, Chair of the UK Statistics Authority, said:
“I am delighted to welcome Peter, Mairi and Sarah to the Authority’s Board. They will be great assets to the Board and to its oversight of the Office for National Statistics, the Office for Statistics Regulation and the Government Statistical Service, the three pillars of the UK’s official statistical system.
“They join the Board in a time of sustained pressure but also great opportunity for the system. Their decades of varied experience will help us respond in a considered and thoughtful way.
“I would like to pay tribute to our departing NEDs Professor Sir John Aston, Nora Nanayakkara, and former deputy chair Sian Jones for their many years of service. Their dedication to statistics that serve the public good has been a constant through challenging times, and enabled colleagues to achieve brilliant things. We wish them all the best in their next endeavours and look forward to working with John as the new President of the Royal Statistical Society.”
Further information
- The UK Statistics Authority is an independent body operating at arm’s length from government as a non-ministerial department, directly accountable to Parliament. It was established on 1 April 2008 by the Statistics and Registration Service Act 2007.
- The Authority’s statutory objective is to promote and safeguard the production and publication of official statistics that serve the public good. It is also required to promote and safeguard the quality and comprehensiveness of official statistics and ensure good practice in relation to official statistics.
- A full list of Board members and their biographies can be found on our website.
For more information please contact the Authority Press inbox or call 03000 671 571.