We are delighted to announce the appointment of Dr Ian Selby as Chair of Wessex Archaeology Limited. Ian has been serving as interim Chair since September 2018, and his position was confirmed by a meeting of the Board of Trustees last month.
Ian has a longstanding connection with Wessex Archaeology, having first worked on archaeological fieldwork projects in 1985 for what was then the Wessex Archaeology Committee. He has served as both a Trustee and a Director of the company for the last nine years.
His appointment will support the continued development of Wessex Archaeology’s services and, in particular, the growth of its international capability. Ian is a chartered geologist with a PhD and an MBA and he is currently the Director of Sustainable Geoscience at Plymouth University. He has worked around the world on mineral resources and coastal and marine infrastructure projects for 30 years. Until 2018, he managed UK offshore development rights for minerals and infrastructure at The Crown Estate. Prior to this, Ian was Operations and Resources Director at Hanson Marine, responsible for a dredging company operating around UK and European waters.
Ian also contributes to an impressive network of industry bodies, including as Non-Executive Director of the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas) and Chair of the UK Minerals Forum.
“I’m thrilled to continue my special relationship with Wessex Archaeology in my new capacity as Chair. I have seen the organisation grow from a small group of passionate conservationists into the market-leading operation it is today; and what’s encouraging is that the passion hasn’t faded. As the organisation heads into its fortieth year, this vision for enriching lives through heritage is still the key element in driving our charitable aims and progressing our sustainable business objectives.
“I’m looking forward to working closely with the Board and Executive Management Team to focus on delivering on our strategy for leading the way in offering innovative archaeology with public benefit at its heart. It’s a very exciting time to be part of Wessex Archaeology.”