Vanessa Lawrence Explained

Vanessa Lawrence
Office:Global Advisor for Geospatial Information to the World Bank Group
Term Start:2015
President:Ajay Banga
David Malpass
Kristalina Georgieva (Acting)
Jim Yong Kim
Office1:1st Co-chair of the United Nations Committee of Experts on Global Geospatial Information Management (UN-GGIM)
Term Start1:2011
Term End1:2015
Term Start2:2000
Term End2:April 2014
Successor2:Neil Ackroyd
Predecessor2:David Willey
Nationality: United Kingdom
Birth Date:14 July 1962
Birth Place:Amersham, Buckinghamshire[1]
Occupation:Geographer

Vanessa Vivienne Lawrence (born 14 July 1962) is a British businessperson, geographer and speaker working internationally.

For 14 years, until April 2014, she was Director-General and Chief Executive of Ordnance Survey, Great Britain's national mapping agency.[2] She was the first woman to hold the post and at the time of her departure had held the Director General role longer than any predecessor in more than a century.[3] [4] [5]

In 2015 Lawrence was appointed Global advisor for geospatial information to the World Bank Group.[6] [7]

The same year, she was also appointed as a Non-Executive Director of the Satellite Applications Catapult Ltd,[8] a Director of Location International, a Location Global Ltd Company[9] and a Member of the Advisory Groups of the Urban Big Data Centre,[9] Seraphim Space LLP,[10] the Space Venture Capital Fund backed by the British Business Bank and Spatial Finance Initiative.[11]

Biography

In January 2008 Lawrence was invested as a Companion of The Most Honourable Order of the Bath (CB) in the New Year Honours List.[12] She has been elected an Honorary Fellow of the Institution of Civil Engineering Surveyors and of the Royal Academy of Engineering.[13] She is also a Fellow of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, a Companion of the Chartered Management Institute,[14] a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society, an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Scottish Geographical Society[15] and a Chartered Geographer.[16]

During her career with government she served as the co-founder and inaugural chair of Association of Chief Executives (ACE)[17] which represented the CEOs of Government Agencies, Trading Funds and Non-Departmental Bodies,[18] was the Chair of the Geographic Information Panel[19]

Notes and References

  1. England & Wales, Civil Registration Birth Index, 1916–2007
  2. 1 2008 New Year Honours: The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 58557. pp. 1–26. 29 December 2007.
  3. Web site: Lawrence to leave Ordnance Survey after 14 years – Civil Service World. www.civilserviceworld.com. 30 November 2018.
  4. Web site: Major chief executive to step down. Daily Echo. 30 November 2018.
  5. News: Ordnance Survey chief plots surprise departure. Deirdre. Hipwell. 2 April 2014. 30 November 2018. www.thetimes.co.uk.
  6. Web site: Geodesy on the World Bank's agenda . Kartverket . 8 July 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160809120227/http://www.kartverket.no/en/About-The-Norwegian-Mapping-Authority/Centre-for-Property-Rights-and-Development/News/geodesy-on-the-world-banks-agenda/ . 9 August 2016 . dead .
  7. Web site: Session Overview . Conftool . 8 July 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160815103432/https://www.conftool.com/landandpoverty2016/index.php?page=browseSessions&print=head&form_session=435 . 15 August 2016 . dead .
  8. Web site: Dr Vanessa Lawrence CB – Non-Executive Director – Catapult. 30 November 2018.
  9. Web site: Urban Big Data Centre . 20 June 2022 .
  10. Web site: Seraphim Capital LLP .
  11. Web site: Spatial Finance Initiative .
  12. 2008 New Year Honours: The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 58557. pp. 1–26. 29 December 2007.
  13. Web site: The Fellowship. 20 July 2021. Royal Academy of Engineering.
  14. Web site: Chartered Management Institute: In my Opinion. 20 July 2021. www.managementtoday.co.uk.
  15. Web site: Honorary Fellowship (FRSGS) – RSGS. rsgs.org. 30 November 2018.
  16. Web site: Royal Geographical Society - Chartered Geographer. 23 September 2021. www.rgs.org.
  17. Web site: .ACE Association of Chief Executives. 14 September 2020. uk-ace.org.uk.
  18. Web site: CIVIL SERVICE CHIEF EXECUTIVES LAUNCH NEW ASSOCIATION. 20 July 2021. Ordnance Survey.
  19. Web site: ODPM Organisation Chart archived 2 May 2006. 23 September 2021. webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk.
  20. Web site: The OGC Elects Directors. 30 November 2018.
  21. Web site: 17 August 2016. GIS, CAD, and mapping daily news provided by Spatial News. 23 September 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20160817092149/http://spatialnews.geocomm.com/dailynews/2000/jun/02/ordsrvy.html. 17 August 2016.
  22. Book: Johnston. Professor Ron. A Century of British Geography. Johnston. Ron. Williams. Michael. Williams. Professor of Geography Michael. Academy. British. 11 September 2003. OUP/British Academy. 978-0-19-726286-3.
  23. Book: Smith, L. Graham. Impact Assessment and Sustainable Resource Management. 11 September 2014. Routledge. 978-1-317-90010-8.
  24. Web site: Scottish Geographical Medal – RSGS. rsgs.org. 30 November 2018.
  25. Web site: Ordnance Survey Boss Director of the Year. www.hydro-international.com. 30 November 2018.
  26. Web site: Geospatial World forum 2011. geospatialworldforum.org. 30 November 2018.
  27. Web site: Two new external members appointed to Council. 5 January 2009. 30 November 2018.
  28. Web site: Dr Vanessa Lawrence opens new university research hub . Ordnance Survey . 8 July 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160919221203/https://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/about/news/2011/vanessa-lawrence-opens-university-research-hub.html . 19 September 2016 . dead .
  29. Web site: Dr Vanessa Lawrence, Co-Chair UN-GGIM: Exclusive Interview. 28 October 2014. 30 November 2018.
  30. Web site: UNSD – UN-GGIM. United Nations Statistics. Division. ggim.un.org. 30 November 2018.
  31. Web site: YouTube. www.youtube.com. 30 November 2018.
  32. Web site: Talking GI at UN-GGIM – Ordnance Survey Blog. 24 September 2015. 30 November 2018.
  33. Web site: Award of Certificate of Appreciation: UN-GGIM Co-Chair Dr. Vanessa Lawrence . United Nations Committee of Experts on Global Geospatial Information Management . https://web.archive.org/web/20160821225257/http://ggim.un.org/Award%20of%20Certificate_Dr%20Vanessa%20Lawrence.html . 8 July 2016. 21 August 2016 .
  34. Web site: Vanessa Lawrence honoured for her contribution to UN-GGIM – UNGGIM: Europe. un-ggim-europe.org. 30 November 2018.
  35. Web site: Alan Turing Institute .
  36. Web site: Walker Institute . 24 June 2022.
  37. Web site: Colonel inspects her squadron. Surrey Comet. 30 November 2018.
  38. Web site: Colonel inspects her squadron. This Is Local London. 30 November 2018.
  39. Web site: Archived copy . 8 July 2016 . 24 October 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20161024213350/https://plus.google.com/111242581008653904435/posts/VLVJpx3pjB4 . dead .
  40. Web site: 601 Squadron RAUXAF .
  41. Web site: Professor Vanessa Lawrence – Geography and Environmental Science – University of Southampton. www.southampton.ac.uk. 30 November 2018.
  42. Web site: Royal Geographical Society - Governance. 23 September 2021. www.rgs.org.
  43. Web site: Patrons. 30 November 2018.
  44. Web site: Our supporters – MapAction. www.mapaction.org. 30 November 2018.
  45. Web site: [geo-discuss&#93; [Fwd: UK GI Strategy Workshop 23 June&#93; |publisher=Lists.okfn.org |date=12 June 2006 |access-date=30 November 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theyworkforyou.com/wrans/?id=2008-01-09e.175654.h|title=UK Location Strategy: Ordnance Survey: 9 Jan 2008: Hansard Written Answers – TheyWorkForYou|website=TheyWorkForYou|access-date=30 November 2018}}</ref> that produced the Location Strategy of the United Kingdom known as Place Matters: the Location Strategy for the United Kingdom<ref>{{cite web|url=https://data.gov.uk/sites/default/files/uk-location-strategy_10.pdf |title=Place matters: the Location Strategy for the United Kingdom |access-date=30 November 2018}}</ref> and was a Non-Executive Director of the [[Office of the Deputy Prime Minister]][19] and the Open Geospatial Consortium[20]

    Prior to working in government, she was employed by Autodesk[21] and by Pearson plc in the Longman Group.[22] [23]

    She has been awarded the Royal Scottish Geographical Society, Scottish Geographical Medal for conspicuous merit and world-wide repute,[24] the Institute of Directors South-East Director of the Year Award in 2008[25] and was made the Geospatial Person of the Decade 2000-2010[26]

    In 2008 she joined the Council of the University of Cambridge[27] for four and a half years having served on the Council of the University of Southampton from 2001 to 2008.[28]

    In 2011 the United Nations elected Lawrence to serve as the inaugural co-chair of its Committee of Experts on Global Geospatial Information Management (UN-GGIM).[29] [30] [31] [32] She served in this role continuously for four years working with others to develop UN-GGIM to be the lead global authority for governments and the private sector in geographic Information. On leaving UN-GGIM after four years, she was awarded a Certificate of Appreciation by the Under-Secretary-General, Dr Wu Hongbo[33] [34] The text of the Certificate read as follows:

    "The deep appreciation, respect and gratitude of the United Nations Committee of Experts on Global Geospatial Information Management (UN-GGIM) is presented to Dr. Vanessa V. Lawrence CB. On behalf of all UN Member States, the Committee of Experts appreciates the considerable leadership and dedication of time and effort you have given to promote, shape and guide UN-GGIM since its establishment by the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations (ECOSOC) in 2011. As the inaugural Co-Chair of the Committee of Experts from 2011–2015, your global knowledge and expertise has ensured that significant progress has been made towards achieving the Committee's mandated objectives. Through your leadership the international community has made important progress towards recognising the essential role of geospatial information in global development. With grateful thanks."

    In 2020 she was appointed as a Non-Executive Director and Trustee of the Alan Turing Institute for Data Science and AI[35] and a Board Member of the Walker Institute for interdisciplinary Climate Science, University of Reading[36]

    She remains the Honorary Colonel, 135 Geographic Squadron Royal Engineers,[37] [38] [39] and an Honorary Group Captain in 601 Squadron, Royal Auxiliary Air Force,[40] an adjunct professor at the University of Southampton,[41] a Trustee of the Royal Geographical Society[42] and a Patron of the Cure Parkinson's Trust[43] and MapAction.[44]

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