The National Archives welcomes the appointment of two new non-executive Board members, Lopa Patel MBE and Nigel Baker. They replace Baroness Ros Scott of Needham Market and Mark Richards who both step down on 30 December 2024 after highly successful 6.5 year appointments, where they supported the organisation through the pandemic and advised and contributed on the strategic direction of The National Archives and the delivery of its ambitions.

Chair of The National Archives’ Board, Professor Andrew Wathey CBE said:

“I am delighted to welcome Lopa and Nigel to The National Archives’ Board. They bring a range of skills highly relevant to the next phase of our development, as digital capability becomes ever more important to the public record, and I greatly look forward to working with them. I also take this opportunity to thank Baroness Ros Scott and Mark Richards for their outstanding service to the Board over the last six years.”

Chief Executive and Keeper of The National Archives, Saul Nassé said:

“I look forward to welcoming Lopa and Nigel to the Board, and working with them as we look to become a living digital national archive, preserving the contemporary record of government and radically widening access to our historic collection.”

Lopa Patel MBE is a Digital Entrepreneur, Chair, Non-Executive Director and Trustee with strengths in governance and risk oversight. The founder of two ventures in online media and a data-driven marketing consultancy, she is also the Chair of equality charity, Diversity UK, focussing on race and gender equity in Britain. She is an ambassador for entrepreneurship, innovation and technology and has been recognised with many accolades including an MBE for services to the creative industries and an Honorary Doctorate conferred by the Open University.

Nigel Baker is a media executive with wide experience at senior management and board level in for-profit companies and the charitable sector.  His career has immersed him in creating and curating factual content with an early background as a journalist in Fleet Street and with ITN. He holds a business doctorate from Chester University, examining the impact of Big Tech’s ethics on corporate philanthropy, and a master’s from Brunel University London in multimedia computing for e-Commerce.

Both Lopa and Nigel will start on 1 Jan 2025 for five-year terms.