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Ian Diamond

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Ian Diamond
Diamond in 2018
United Kingdom National Statistician
Assumed office
22 October 2019
Prime MinisterBoris Johnson
Liz Truss
Rishi Sunak
Keir Starmer
Minister for the Cabinet OfficeOliver Dowden
Michael Gove
Steve Barclay
Michael Ellis
Edward Argar
Chris Philp
Jeremy Quin
Nick Thomas-Symonds
Preceded byJohn Pullinger
Principal and Vice Chancellor of
theUniversity of Aberdeen
In office
1 April 2010 – 31 July 2018
Preceded bySir Duncan Rice
Succeeded byGeorge Boyne
Personal details
Born(1954-03-14)14 March 1954(age 70)
Kingskerswell,England
Spouse(s)Jane, Lady Diamond
Residence(s)Aberdeen,Scotland
Alma materLondon School of Economics
University of St Andrews
ProfessionStatistician

Sir Ian David DiamondDLFRSEFBAFAcSSFLSW(born 14 March 1954) is a British statistician, academic, and administrator, who served asPrincipal and Vice-Chancellorof theUniversity of Aberdeenuntil 2018. He became the UK'sNational Statisticianin October 2019.

Early life and education

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Diamond was bornKingskerswell,Devon,on 14 March 1954.[1]He obtained aBScdegree ineconomicsin 1975 and anMScdegree instatisticsin 1976, both from theLondon School of Economics and Political Science(LSE). In 1981, he received aPhDdegree in statistics from theUniversity of St Andrews.[2]

Academic and non-executive career

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Diamond became Principal of the University of Aberdeen in 2010, replacingSir Duncan Rice.He announced in August 2017 that he would retire from this role,[3]and was succeeded in the post byGeorge Boynein August 2018.

Diamond's previous appointments include Chief Executive of theEconomic and Social Research Council,Chair of theResearch Councils UKExecutive Group, and Deputy Vice-Chancellor at theUniversity of Southampton.[4]Chair of Lloyds Banking Group Foundation for England and Wales, Visiting Fellow atNuffield College, Oxford.[5]

Diamond has been Chair ofBritish Universities and Colleges Sport,Chair of the Department for International Development Research Advisory Group, 2018,[citation needed]Chair of Plan International UK, Chair of theCouncil for the Mathematical Sciences,and a Board Member ofUK Research and Innovation,UK Statistics Authority,the Population Investigation Committee and Aberystwyth University. He stepped down as Chair of Edinburgh College of Further Education on his appointment as National Statistician.[6]

Diamond was formerly a Trustee of the Iona Cathedral Trust, WWF UK, the National Centre for Social Research, UCAS and the British Academy and Chair of the Social Security Advisory Committee from 2018 to 2019.[7]

His departure from the University of Aberdeen led to a pay-related controversy, where he was paid £282,000 over a supposed notice period where he was, in fact, no longer working for the university.[8]

Government service

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Diamond has authored or co-authored seven books and government reports, contributed to a further 34, and authored over 100 academic papers. In 2016 he led a review of University finance in Wales which was commissioned by theWelsh Government,which recommended that grants towards tuition fees should be replaced with support for living costs instead.[9]

Diamond's appointment asNational Statistician,in succession toJohn Pullinger,was announced on 6 August 2019, and he took office on 22 October 2019.[7][10]

Personal life

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Sir Ian Diamond is married to Jane Diamond.[11]He is also a qualified football referee and cricket umpire.[12]

Honours and awards

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References

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  1. ^"People of today: Ian Diamond".Debrett's.Retrieved7 January2015.
  2. ^"Professor Sir Ian Diamond FBA FRSE AcSS".Scottish Science Advisory Council.Retrieved7 January2015.
  3. ^"University of Aberdeen principal Sir Ian Diamond announces retirement".BBC News.24 August 2017.Retrieved29 August2017.
  4. ^"Professor Ian Diamond FBA FRSE AcSS".University of Aberdeen. Archived fromthe originalon 5 December 2013.Retrieved4 September2011.
  5. ^"Professor Sir Ian Diamond".Wales Centre for Public Policy.Retrieved28 April2020.
  6. ^Dutaut, J.L. (1 October 2019)."The future of colleges: lessons from Scotland's regionalisation".FE Week.
  7. ^ab"Ian Diamond appointed as UK's National Statistician".UK Statistics Authority.6 August 2019.Retrieved6 August2019.
  8. ^"Scottish Government launches investigation into former Aberdeen University principal's pay-off".Press and Journal.10 June 2019.Retrieved7 March2020.
  9. ^Lewis, Bethan (27 September 2016)."Loans 'should replace' tuition fee grant".BBC News.Retrieved15 September2017.
  10. ^Giles, Chris (6 August 2019)."UK appoints veteran academic as national statistician".The Financial Times.
  11. ^"University of Aberdeen principal to take on a monster challenge".Rail News.3 September 2010. Archived fromthe originalon 9 April 2014.Retrieved4 April2014.
  12. ^"Professor Sir Ian Diamond: Welsh Government".Welsh Government.Retrieved28 April2020.
  13. ^"Award Criteria and Past Recipients: Clifford C. Clogg Award for Mid-Career Achievement".Population Association of America.Retrieved7 January2015.
  14. ^"Honorary Fellows: previous recipients".University of Cardiff.Retrieved7 January2015.
  15. ^"Honorary Degrees 2006".University of Glasgow.Retrieved7 January2015.
  16. ^"No. 60367".The London Gazette(Supplement). 29 December 2012. p. 1.
  17. ^"No. 27336".The Edinburgh Gazette.6 December 2013. p. 3045.
  18. ^Aberdeen City Council (5 December 2013)."Leading Aberdeen academic given new royal role".www.aberdeencity.gov.uk.Archived fromthe originalon 15 September 2017.Retrieved15 September2017.
Academic offices
Preceded by Principal and Vice Chancellorof theUniversity of Aberdeen
April 2010 – July 2018
Succeeded by
Government offices
Preceded by National Statistician
October 2019-
Succeeded by