Chief executive and chair appointed to new UK blue skies research agency

Business secretary Kwasi Kwarteng has appointed a leadership team to head up the UK’s new Advanced Research and Invention Agency (Aria). New chief executive Ilan Gur and chair Matt Clifford both have expertise in bringing new technologies to market.

Last year the government announced plans for Aria, a new ‘high-risk, high reward’ science funding body that could invest in projects with ‘minimal bureaucracy’. The body is modelled after the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, but got off to a stuttering start when its first chief executive withdrew from the role before taking up his position.