Tuesday 1 September 2026

Matt Leedham has today (1 September 2026) joined United Kingdom National Nuclear Laboratory (UKNNL) as Chief Transformation Officer, completing UKNNL’s Executive Leadership Team.

Matt brings 28 years of nuclear and change leadership experience to the role, including 16 years at EDF Energy and 12 years as a consultant where he led strategic change programmes across a range of nuclear organisations. Having spent the past year in his former role engaging with UKNNL, he says he has been struck by the organisation’s technical excellence and clear sense of purpose.

As Chief Transformation Officer, Matt will lead the transformation programme called for by government’s Strategic Review, moving UKNNL beyond a period of stabilising the business and into its next phase.

This work will shape how UKNNL continues to fulfil its role as the UK’s national nuclear laboratory, ensuring the organisation is equipped to meet the demands of a rapidly evolving sector while continuing to deliver on its national mission.

Matt says he is joining UKNNL at a pivotal moment in its history, and it’s this scale of opportunity that excites him most about the role ahead.

“I believe transformation should be built with people, not done to them,” said Matt. “That starts with a shared vision, created through genuine collaboration, and delivered at a pace where people can see real benefit, not just plans on paper.”

Matt’s immediate focus will be to listen and learn, spending the coming weeks visiting sites to meet colleagues and understand more about how the organisation works before digging deeper into what transformation means for UKNNL.

Commenting on the appointment, UKNNL Chief Executive Officer Julianne Antrobus said the organisation’s leadership team is now complete, giving the organisation the stability and leadership it needs to transform the organisation and deliver on the ambitions of the Strategic Review with confidence.