The Data Lab, Scotland’s innovation centre for data and AI, has appointed seven new members to its Governance Board. The new board members assumed their terms in June with an initial appointment of two years.

The Governance Board’s responsibilities include setting the strategic direction for the innovation centre, including providing guidance on the focus of innovation activities and The Data Lab’s professional learning and education portfolio.

New members to the innovation centre’s Governance Board are:

• Jon Buglass, Vice Principal for Innovation, Planning and Performance at Edinburgh College
• Luca Corradi, Managing Director at Winnocks
• Robin Huggins, Chief Revenue Officer at Head for Data
• Roma Maguire MBE, Professor of Digital Health and Care at the University of Strathclyde
• James Mitton, Chief AI Officer at HMRC
• Anneli Ritari-Stewart, Head of Digital & AI Marketing at Royal London
• Adam Sroka, CEO and Co-Founder of Hypercube Consulting

These new members will join Chair Nic Granger, appointed in November 2025, alongside three existing board members who have extended their term until August 2027:

• Kirsty Brown, Managing Director at SMBC Bank International
• Stephen O’Neill, Deputy Director of Entrepreneurship and Sponsorship at the Scottish Government
• Michael Rovatsos, Professor of Artificial Intelligence at the School of Informatics at the University of Edinburgh.

Nic Granger, Chair of The Data Lab and Chief Transformation Officer, Curo Group, said: “It’s exciting to see such a diverse range of backgrounds among our new board members. This new board unites experience from a variety of sectors, including Net Zero and Finance, bringing in a wealth of expertise to provide strong governance to support The Data Lab in delivering its strategy.”

Heather Thomson, CEO of The Data Lab, said: “We believe that collaboration is key to ensuring that Scotland remains a global leader in data and AI innovation. Our new board members bring a wealth of expertise and fresh thinking across industry, the public sector, higher and further education, and will be invaluable in driving forward delivery on our mission to foster responsible innovation and support the data and AI skills pipeline at all stages, driving economic growth and societal impact.

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“We are delighted that Professor Michael Rovatsos, Kirsty Brown and Stephen O’Neill are extending their term alongside new board members to continue shaping the strategic direction of The Data Lab.

“I would also like to take this opportunity to thank board members who have completed their term and retired from the board this year for their enthusiasm, support and valued contributions, including Abel Aboh, Martyn Wallace, Professor Stuart Anderson, Albert King, Tom Wilkinson and Simon Hewitt.”