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Professor Rachel O’Reilly joins the Faraday Institution’s Board of Trustees

Professor Rachel O’Reilly joins research and industry leaders to strengthen the Faraday Institution’s Board of Trustees.

28 April 2025
Professor Rachel O'Reilly

The Faraday Institution is a research institute aiming to advance battery science and technology, defined by industry need. It is made up of 27 UK universities and 50 businesses focused on reducing costs, improving performance, and developing whole-life energy storage strategies to include recycle and reuse.

Professor Rachel O’Reilly joins the existing Board alongside Dr Valentina Gentili (VP of Global R&D at Agratas) and Robin Brundle (Executive Chair of Technology Minerals and Co-Founder of Recyclus Group).

On her appointment, Professor O’Reilly said: “Accelerating progress towards net zero requires collaboration and the Faraday Institution recognises this in its focus on strategic partnerships with academia, government, and industry. I am thrilled to be join the board and I look forward to working with my fellow trustees and the team to continue ensuring the UK leads the world in research and development on energy storage.”

I am thrilled to be join the board and I look forward to working with my fellow trustees and the team to continue ensuring the UK leads the world in research and development on energy storage.

Professor Rachel O’Reilly

The new trustees join existing board members to guide future strategy for energy storage research. The appointment will strengthen existing connections between the University of Birmingham and the Faraday Institution, which draws on the University’s expertise in energy storage.

Professor Sir Steven Cowley, Chair of the Board commented: “It is with great pleasure that we welcome the new members to the Board […] Rachel is a distinguished chemist and academic who brings a wealth of experience on strategically steering research programmes and priorities.”

It is with great pleasure that we welcome the new members to the Board […] Rachel is a distinguished chemist and academic who brings a wealth of experience on strategically steering research programmes and priorities.

Professor Sir Steven Cowley

Notes for editors

  • For media enquiries, please contact the Press Office at the University of Birmingham - or +44 (121) 414 2772
  • The University of Birmingham is ranked amongst the world’s top 100 institutions. Its work brings people from across the world to Birmingham, including researchers, teachers and more than 8,000 international students from over 150 countries.

The Faraday Institution is the UK’s independent institute for electrochemical energy storage research, skills development, market analysis, and early-stage commercialisation. Bringing together expertise from universities and industry, the Faraday Institution endeavours to make the UK the go-to place for the research and development of new electrical storage technologies for both the automotive and wider relevant sectors. Headquartered at the Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, the Faraday Institution is a registered charity with an independent board of trustees, and a delivery partner for the Faraday Battery Challenge.

For more information on the Faraday Institution, visit www.faraday.ac.uk and follow the organisation on LinkedIn.

Featured staff

  • Professor Rachel O'Reilly

    Pro-Vice Chancellor (Research)

    Professor Rachel O'Reilly is Chair in Chemistry at the School of Chemistry. She leads the O'Reilly Group whose research targets the design, synthesis and application of uniquely derived polymeric materials.

    Phone: +44 (0)121 414 7757
    Email:

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