Professor Ian Chapman FREng

CEO, UK Atomic Energy Authority 

Ian Chapman is the CEO of the UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA), the largest fusion research organisation in the world, combining engineering in magnets, vacuum, cryogenics, robotics, materials, manufacturing and high-voltage power. Ian has grown UKAEA from 800 to 2100 people, whilst trebling revenue to over £300 million. In 2020 he oversaw completion of the UK’s premier fusion facility Mega Ampere Spherical Tokamak (MAST) Upgrade, the RAEng Major Project winner, whilst in 2021 he led the highest-power fusion experiments ever undertaken globally on the world’s leading fusion machine, Joint European Torus (JET). He now leads the UK’s Spherical Tokamak for Energy Production (STEP) prototype fusion powerplant programme, backed by £400 million investment.