Ann Limb

Biographical Information
"An educationalist, businesswoman and charity entrepreneur, Dr Ann Limb was born in Moss Side, Manchester in 1953. Former Group Chief Executive and main board director of the University for Industry (Ufi Ltd), she was responsible for the successful implementation of the UK government's flagship e-learning initiative 'learndirect' and oversaw the development of the other nationwide e-services 'UK on linecentres' and 'directgov'. Ann continues to promote the importance of digital inclusion serving as aUKoL ambassador www.ukonlinecentres.com and working as a government adviser both in the UK and overseas. From 2004-2009 she was Vice President of the international strategic management consultancy gov3 that in July 2009 became Citizen Service Transformation www.cstransform.com Ann was a member of the former Prime Minister, Tony Blair's Digital Inclusion Panel, worked with the current Liberal Democrat leader, Nick Clegg when he was an MEP and sat on the Education Committee of David Cameron's Public Services Improvement Policy Group. She also holds a number of public and private sector non-executive directorships.

"Ann spent the first half of her career working in education including 14 years as Principal and Chief Executive of Milton Keynes College and Cambridge Regional College. She writes and publishes on strategic leadership and corporate culture change and features amongst the top UK executives in the innovative 50 LES50NS portfolio www.fiftylessons.co.uk. Ann was a finalist in the Cambridgeshire Businesswoman of the Year in 2000 and sits on the National Council of the Institute of Directors.

"As a non-executive director of the main board of DRS Data Research and Services Group, Ann chairs the Remuneration Committee. DRS www.drs.co.uk is a plc that designs, manufactures and distributes scanning technology that captures data electronically. Ann is also a non executive director of Entrepreneurs in Action www.theeia.co.uk, a community interest company which trains young people to aspire to move from the classroom to the boardroom and of briteyellow www.briteyellow.com a wireless broadband company In 1991 Ann founded a social enterprise charity the Network for Women Managers, the Women Leaders Network in Further Education.

"Ann holds a number of public appointments. In July 2005, the Department of Media Culture and Sport www.culture.gov.uk appointed her as the first Chair of the Legal Deposit Advisory Panel, a new non departmental public body responsible under the Libraries Act of 2003 with the task of making recommendations to the Secretary of State on future legislation relating to the legal deposit of digital material. In April 2008, having served as the independent member for almost four years, Ann was appointed as Chair of the Milton Keynes Partnership www.mkweb.co.uk the public body, delivering locally for the Homes & Communities Agency, charged by the Department of Communities and Local Government with overseeing the long term sustainable growth of Milton Keynes. Since February 2008, Ann has also served as a Non Executive Director of HMGCC.

"Ann undertakes a significant amount of voluntary and charitable work. Since 1998, she has been Chair of the Helena Kennedy Foundation, the charity she founded to overcome social injustice by providing educational bursaries, mentoring and support to disadvantaged students. Ann is also Chair of the National Council of Faiths and Beliefs www.fbfe.org uk Anne Frank Trust UK  www.annefrank.org.uk and Milton Keynes Arts for Health www.mkartsforhealth.org.uk She has previously been Chair of Trustees for the National Extension College...A linguist by degree, who is also trained in psychodynamic counselling, Ann works voluntarily in her local community as an active member of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers)."

Affiliations

 * Director, Homes and Communities Agency
 * Chair, Edutrust Academies Charitable Trust