The British Standards Institution today announced that Susan Taylor Martin will be appointed as Chief Executive of BSI in 2021.

Susan will join BSI in January, and benefit from a progressive handover from current Chief Executive Howard Kerr who leaves the business in 2021 after leading it for 12 years. During Howard’s tenure as Chief Executive, BSI has had an uninterrupted period of resilient growth, more than trebling its revenues from £179 million in 2007 to £548 million in 2019 and expanding its client base from 124 to 179 countries.

John Hirst, Chairman of BSI said: “Howard can be immensely proud of the achievements he has made during his tenure at BSI. He leaves the company in great shape to tackle the challenges of the future. His leadership has enabled BSI to develop into the purpose driven, successful and globally relevant organization it is today. We are fortunate to have Susan joining us as Chief Executive to maintain our growth, and to support businesses and governments worldwide at this critical juncture as we all look to build back better post-pandemic.”

Susan has led a range of information, publishing and software businesses, first at Reuters and then at Thomson Reuters. Most recently she served as President of its Global Legal Business, based in New York, where she led 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 plc since 2012 and is a former Chair of the London Council of the Confederation of British Industry.

Howard Kerr, Chief Executive said: “It is with great pride that I move on, leaving the organization 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”.

Susan Taylor Martin, Chief Executive Designate 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.”