Vindi Banga to Chair Imperial College London's Council

Imperial College has appointed Vindi (Manvinder) Banga as its new Chair of Council.

Mr Banga is a global business leader with extensive Chair experience in public and private markets, and across both the charitable and governmental sectors.

I look forward to supporting Imperial College in this next phase of its journey as it seeks to leverage its excellence in research and education in science, engineering, medicine and business to the benefit of our wider society. Mr Vindi Banga

Mr Banga brings substantial global corporate leadership experience to this role, including more than three decades at Unilever plc, where he served as President of the Global Foods, Home and Personal Care businesses, as well as sitting on Unilever’s Executive Board. Mr Banga has also held numerous non-executive positions including as Senior Independent Director at Marks and Spencer plc and at GlaxoSmithKline plc, and as an independent Director at Thomson Reuters Corporation and Maruti Suzuki Ltd. 

Mr Banga is a partner at CD&R, a leading private investment firm. He has chaired and served on the boards of several of the firm’s portfolio companies including Diversey Inc, B&M Retail, Mauser GmbH and Wm. Morrison Supermarkets. He is also Chair of CD&R’s Sustainability Council. 

In addition to these roles, Mr Banga is Chair of UK Government Investments, Senior Independent Director at consumer health company Haleon plc, Chair of Marie Curie, the UK’s leading charity providing palliative care, and is an Independent Director at The Economist Group. 

With his education in engineering and business – Mr Banga has an M.B.A. from the Indian Institute of Management and studied mechanical engineering at the Indian Institute of Technology – he is passionate about furthering the study and research of Science, Engineering, Medicine and Business. Mr Banga has been affiliated with several educational institutions around the world, and with his wife, founded The Kamini and Vindi Banga Family Trust, with the objective of furthering education and cancer research. 

Vindi’s invaluable experience will be crucial as we launch Imperial’s new strategy. I look forward to drawing on his considerable corporate and business knowledge in the years ahead. Professor Hugh Brady President, Imperial College London

As Chair, Mr Banga will lead Imperial’s governing body and will take up his role on 1 April 2024.

Meanwhile, Dr Mahnaz Safa, Council Member, finance expert and alumna will be appointed into the role of Senior Independent Member of Council from 1 January 2024. This will sit alongside her role as Champion for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion. 

President Hugh Brady said: “Vindi’s invaluable experience will be crucial as we launch Imperial’s new strategy. I look forward to drawing on his considerable corporate and business knowledge in the years ahead.” 

Vindi Banga said: “I look forward to supporting Imperial in this next phase of its journey as it seeks to leverage its excellence in research and education in science, engineering, medicine and business to the benefit of our wider society.”  

Dr Mahnaz Safa said: "I am delighted to take up the role of Senior Independent Member of Council. Imperial is a world-class institution and I look forward to working with Vindi and the Council to support its mission." 

John Cullen, outgoing Deputy Chair and outgoing Senior Independent Member of Imperial’s Council said: “I am delighted that Imperial has such a talented and experienced Council. Under Vindi’s chairmanship, I look forward to helping Imperial meet its bold ambition and vision for the future.”   

As the 14th Chair of Council, Vindi Banga succeeds John Allan CBE. He will retire from his role at the end of his term on 31 March 2024.