King's College London

Sir Malcolm Grant CBE is stepping down as Chair of PLuS Alliance, with King’s Vice President for Research & Innovation, Professor Sir Bashir M. Al-Hashimi, appointed as his successor.

Launched in 2016, PLuS Alliance brings together three leading research universities – King's, Arizona State University and UNSW Sydney – to address global challenges through collaborative research, innovation, and education.

Sir Malcolm Grant has served as Chair of PLuS Alliance since 2016. A distinguished leader in higher education and public service, Sir Malcolm previously held the roles of Chair of NHS England, Chancellor of the University of York, and President and Provost of University College London from 2003 to 2013. His career includes senior positions such as Pro Vice Chancellor at the University of Cambridge, Chair of the Russell Group, and Chair of the Local Government Commission for England. In recognition of his contributions to education and public service, Sir Malcolm was appointed CBE in 2003 and knighted in 2013.

Under Sir Malcolm’s visionary leadership, the PLuS Alliance has launched numerous initiatives, including joint research in smart cities, water sustainability, environmental humanities, public health and global biosecurity; women’s leadership programmes; student exchanges; summer schools, and field trips across the three institutions.

A key milestone during Sir Malcolm’s tenure was the launch of TEDI-London, a collaborative degree-awarding and accredited engineering institution dedicated to equipping students from diverse backgrounds with the skills and confidence to develop real-world solutions. In 2022, the Alliance renewed its partnership, introducing the flagship Security & Defence PLuS program, which advances research, education, and policy in the spirit of the 2021 AUKUS trilateral agreement between the governments of Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

Sir Malcom will be continuing in his role as senior advisor to the President of Arizona State University (ASU), Professor Michael M. Crow, focusing in particular on the ambitious new ASU Health Agenda and on the success of TEDI. Sir Malcolm’s contributions have laid a strong foundation for PLuS Alliance’s continued success, with Professor Sir Bashir M. Al-Hashimi set to lead its continued expansion and global impact.

Currently serving as Vice President for Research & Innovation at King’s College London, Sir Bashir is internationally recognised for his contributions to energy-efficient computing and semiconductor design. His leadership in engineering and education has been widely acknowledged, and he was recently knighted in the 2025 New Year Honours.

Sir Bashir will guide the PLuS Alliance into its next phase, with a focus on furthering the Security & Defence PLuS initiative and fostering deeper collaboration between the partner universities, particularly in the area of health.

About PLuS Alliance

The PLuS Alliance combines the strengths of three leading research universities on three continents to solve global challenges. King's works in partnership with Arizona State University and UNSW Sydney to develop sustainable solutions to society’s global challenges, as well as expand education opportunities and collaborations with global peers.