Susan Taylor Martin is to take over as chief executive of the British Standards Institution, when Howard Kerr steps down in January after 12 years in the role.

Ms Taylor Martin has led a range of information, publishing and software businesses, first at Reuters and subsequently at Thomson Reuters where she most recently served as president of its global legal business, and was responsible for leading the transformation of its online information service into an AI-enabled suite of digital and SaaS offerings. She has experience of the consumer, leisure and hospitality sector, as an independent non-executive director of Whitbread since 2012 and is a former chairman of the London Council of the Confederation of British Industry.

Ms Taylor Martin said: “I am excited to be joining BSI at a pivotal stage in its evolution. I have been hugely impressed by the power of the mission, the expertise of the team and the quality of the brand. I have also been struck by the opportunity we have – as a team – to work together and leverage BSI’s talent, knowledge and insights for an even greater impact for all our stakeholders. There was never a more important time to lead an organization which shapes and maintains the standards that help businesses improve performance, reduce risk and grow sustainably."

During Mr Kerr's tenure as chief executive, BSI has had an uninterrupted period of resilient growth, more than trebling its revenues from £179m in 2007 to £548m in 2019 and expanding its reach from 124 to 179 countries. He said: “It is with great pride that I move on, leaving the organisation in Susan’s capable hands. BSI has many opportunities as it enters its 120th year and I am confident that the next chapter of BSI’s long history will continue to be successful, true to our purpose and values to inspire trust for a more resilient world.”

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