Skills and experience: Appointed to the academic staff at the University of Southampton in 1983, Sir Peter became Professor of Aerospace Materials in 1995 and Deputy Vice-Chancellor in 2000. He is a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering and a Member of the Royal Irish Academy and has served on the Councils of the Royal Academy of Engineering and the Central Laboratory of the Research Councils. He was knighted in 2011 for services to higher education.

External appointments: Sir Peter is President and Vice-Chancellor of Queen’s University Belfast; he serves on the Council of CBI Northern Ireland and is a member of the Board of the UK Universities and Colleges Employers Association. He is Deputy Lieutenant of Belfast.