Tue, 15 March, 2022
TWI’s Council chair, Humbert Mozzi will be welcoming attendees to Research for Impact 2022.
We took some time to ask him about the role of the TWI Council and the importance of collaborative research and development activities for industry.
Hi Humbert, can you start by explaining a bit about the TWI Council – what does it do and who it is comprised of?
TWI is governed by a Council consisting of elected and co-opted representatives from Industrial Member companies and Professional Members. This council and its committees represent the interests of TWI stakeholders, appointing and delegating authority to the Chief Executive, Boards and Committees. We have, over the years, moved away from solely relying on our membership for council members because, as the company has evolved, so has the company’s needs and therefore, the need has arisen for specialists from different sectors, for example, legal, accounting and pensions, to name a few.
Council members are non-executive. However, under our governance structure, it is Council who have the overall responsibility of TWI and all Council members are directors of the company with personal liability for the acts of the company.
How did you come to get involved in the TWI Council and become chair, and what are your responsibilities in the role?
A position and need arose for a legally trained person to join Council. I am a practicing solicitor and previously a partner of a London law firm. On application to TWI, I went through the interview process with the CEO and previous Chair and was asked to join Council in 2020. The role of Chair became vacant in July 2021 and, following a recommendation from the CEO and support from my fellow members of Council, I was selected for this role.
My role as Chair of Council is to ensure the necessary balance at Council level and to interact closely with the Executive, who manage the day-to-day running of TWI, to ensure that the requirements of Council are being met by the Executive, and that TWI is being run effectively. I am responsible for making sure that each meeting is planned effectively, conducted according to the constitution, and that matters are dealt with in an orderly, efficient manner. I must make the most of all my committee members; building and leading the team. This also involves regularly reviewing the Committee's performance and identifying and managing the process for renewal of the Committee through the recruitment of new members.
Of course, research and development is a large part of what we do at TWI, but why do you think it is important to collaborate with others on this?
Research and innovation are core values of research organisations such as TWI, enabling them to continue to serve their Members and align the skills and knowledge of staff with what is happening within the industry sectors they serve. Learning cannot be done in isolation and collaboration with industry and other research organisations is paramount to ensure TWI continues its position and value to all those that believe in its strength and capabilities.
R4i is concerned with R&D activities that align with the strategies of the European Commission and the UK, why do you think it is important to have this focus and what can it deliver to Europe as a whole?
TWI’s value to its Members and society is measured by its ability to answer their needs. Industry and societal needs change as global challenges change, and TWI will remain committed to ensuring we share the same vision and innovation aspirations as our stakeholders. We can only achieve this by investing in research and continue collaborating. Public funded projects are the ideal vehicle for such shared learning.
You can register to attend Research for Impact 2022, here.