Garry Baker appointed BGS Director of Informatics

Garry Baker has been appointed by BGS as its new Director of Informatics.

As a member of the BGS Science Strategy group and part of the BGS Senior Management Board, this important post will help to deliver the new science strategy from 2023 .

Garry will be responsible for the strategic leadership of the BGS informatics programmes, including the National Geoscience Data Centre, ensuring efficient stewardship of analogue and digital assets to enable research and help create value and impact.

Based at the BGS headquarters in Keyworth, Nottingham, and working across all BGS sites, the role takes leadership of around 130 informatics staff.

I am excited to be taking on this new and exciting role of BGS Director of Informatics. I am looking forward to ensuring that we, as an organisation, manage our unique national data assets and leverage the latest capabilities to achieve our overall business and science strategies, as well as building strong connections with external communities.

Garry Baker, BGS Director of Informatics.

Garry has over 26 years’ experience in data and information management, working on survey, collaborative and commercial projects both nationally and internationally.  This has included IT development and management roles, project and programme management and ultimately managing the BGS Data Centre, which is a significant component of the UKRI/NERC Environment Data Service. Garry plans on using his experience to revitalise informatics’ capabilities and solutions for both BGS and external communities.   

On behalf of BGS and the BGS Board I am delighted to welcome Garry into this role. I am really looking forward to working with him to develop a new and coherent informatics strategy, which will underpin our new BGS Science Strategy. Garry has an outstanding track record as a data and informatics leader and I know that he will use this experience to ensure that BGS is at the forefront of digital innovation and research.

Dr Karen Hanghøj, BGS Director.

 

Garry started his new appointment as Director of Informatics on 1 September 2022.