Pro-Chancellor
Iain was appointed Chair of Council at Cranfield University in August 2019 and has served on the Council since 2015.
Iain is also the Chairman of Crest Nicholson plc, Genus plc, Hallmarq Ltd and Personal Assets Trust PLC and Governor Emeritus of the British Nutrition Foundation. He has been President of The Food and Drink Federation (FDF), President of the Institute of Grocery Distribution (IGD), Chairman of the British Nutrition Foundation, a member of the Council of Food Policy Advisors (Defra) and a member of the Foresight Global Food and Farming Project. He was previously Lead Non-Executive Board member at Defra, Chairman of Berendsen plc, Stobart Group Ltd and Wilton Park (FCO Agency), and a Non-Executive Director on the boards of Balfour Beatty plc, Sygen plc, Greggs plc, Companies House and Rothamsted Research Ltd.
He was CEO of Tate & Lyle PLC from May 2003 until the end of 2009 and had previously been with Unilever for 26 years (from 1977), following graduation from St Andrews University. He was awarded a CBE for services to the food industry in the June 2003 Queen’s Birthday Honours List.
Iain is married to Dr Catherine Ferguson, who is a historian, and their daughter, Lucy, is an entrepreneur. Catherine and Lucy are also both graduates of St Andrews University.
Iain’s association with Cranfield University (and Silsoe) began in the early 1990s in the areas of tropical agriculture crop development and sustainable vegetable production for Unilever PLC.
