Margot James, Executive Chair of Warwick Manufacturing Group (WMG) at the University of Warwick has announced she will step down from her role this summer.

James joined WMG in 2020 and led the department through the unprecedented challenges posed by the pandemic and successive lockdowns.

Under her leadership, WMG has continued to grow and strengthen its global reputation as a leading research and innovation centre of excellence, bringing together the brightest talent from academia and the private and public sectors.

WMG has increasingly become the ‘go to’ destination for ministers and policy makers to showcase British innovation and industrial expertise.

In the last two months, WMG has been visited by Levelling Up Secretary, Michael Gove, Minister of State for Trade Policy, Greg Hands, and members of the Labour Shadow Cabinet. Further engagement at this level is planned over the next few months.

James will leave her role formally at the end of July and will continue to provide her support to the University for three months in an advisory capacity after that time.

She commented: “It’s been a privilege and an honour to lead WMG over the last three years and I’m immensely proud of what we have achieved together over that time, I would like to thank Professor Robin Clark, Dean of WMG, the executive team and all WMG colleagues for their dedicated work during what has been quite a challenging time.

“I would also like to thank Professor Stuart Croft, and colleagues across the University of Warwick with whom I have very much enjoyed working.

“I will be leaving WMG in a good place. We’ve continued to build our world-class reputation, raising awareness of what we do and how we work.

“We’ve forged new strategic partnerships with industry, attracted and retained some of the very best experts in their fields and continue to drive innovation and deliver real world benefits.

“I will continue to be an enthusiastic supporter and friend to Warwick after I leave and I know that WMG has a very bright future ahead of it.”

Professor Stuart Croft, Vice Chancellor of the University of Warwick, said: “I’d like to thank Margot for her leadership and for the valuable contribution she has made to WMG.

“She joined us during the pandemic and played a vital role in helping us to navigate our way through one of the most difficult and challenging periods in our history.

“She should be proud of the job she’s done in furthering improving and strengthening the department’s global reputation as well as establishing it as the go to place for partners to come together to drive innovation and find real-world solutions to complex problems.”

Margot James joined the University of Warwick after serving as Minister of State for the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport and Member of Parliament for Stourbridge.