Andrew Mackenzie dismisses fears over his links to oil giant

UKRI’s chair-in-waiting responds to climate concerns and sets out agenda for strengthening research

Shell chairman Andrew Mackenzie rejected concerns over potential conflicts of interest should he become chair of the national science funder, UK Research and Innovation, when he appeared before members of the House of Commons Science and Technology Committee.

Mackenzie accepted that it was “a fair question” asked by Labour MP Rebecca Long-Bailey when she queried whether his background in the energy and mining industries might affect his ability to guide the research council’s efforts towards achieving a carbon-neutral economy.