Former home secretary Smith to chair famous Lunar Society
FORMER home secretary Jacqui Smith has been appointed as chairman of Birmingham’s renowned Lunar Society, vowing to encourage more women to join the influential group.
Ms Smith has been chairman of University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust since December 2013 and is a former MP for Redditch and cabinet member
Sir Michael Lyons, former chief executive of Birmingham City Council, who has also served as chairman of the CBSO and the BBC Trust, has been elected vice-chairman.
The appointments were agreed at the society’s AGM in Birmingham.
Ms Smith’s predecessor Alan Wen- ban-Smith retires after guiding group to charitable status.
The society was founded in Birmingham by some of the great industrial and scientific thinkers of the 18th century such as Joseph Preistley, Erasmus Darwin and Matthew Boulton, whose Soho House formed their meeting place.
Today it offers a forum for ideas and debate around the development of Birmingham and has several hundred members from all walks of life.
The society works with other organisations to influence change by linking social, economic, scientific and cultural thinking.
Ms Smith told the AGM she wanted to encourage more women to join the the Lunar Society and to highlight the importance, effects and opportunities of digitalisation on society and the economy.
“If the Lunar men were here today, I think they would be concerned with digitalisation as an issue that can be seen as a modern day industrial revolution. I’m looking forward to encouraging conversation on the subject during my time as chairman,” she said.
Other appointments include Nigel Webb as honorary treasurer, with Dr Peter Mayer, a former Lunar Society honorary secretary and Honorary Treasurer, Deirdre LaBassiere and Dr Peter Borg-Bartolo all joining the executive committee.