Sir Brian Fender is an English academic executive. He was Chief Executive of the Higher Education Funding Council for England

Higher Education Funding Council for England

The Higher Education Funding Council for England is a non-departmental public body of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills in the United Kingdom, which has been responsible for the distribution of funding to Universities and Colleges of Higher and Further Education in England since...

 from 1995-2001. Prior to that he was Vice-Chancellor of Keele University

Keele University

Keele University is a campus university near Newcastle-under-Lyme in Staffordshire, England. Founded in 1949 as an experimental college dedicated to a broad curriculum and interdisciplinary study, Keele is most notable for pioneering the dual honours degree in Britain...

, Associate Director and Director of the Institut Laue-Langevin

Institut Laue-Langevin

The Institut Laue–Langevin, or ILL, is an internationally-financed scientific facility, situated in Grenoble, France. It is one of the world centres for research using neutrons...

 in Grenoble

Grenoble

Grenoble is a city in southeastern France, at the foot of the French Alps where the river Drac joins the Isère. Located in the Rhône-Alpes region, Grenoble is the capital of the department of Isère...

, France and Chairman of the Science Board of the UK's Science and Engineering Research Council

Science and Engineering Research Council

The Science and Engineering Research Council used to be the UK agency in charge of publicly funded scientific and engineering research activities including astronomy, biotechnology and biological sciences, space research and particle physics...

. He is a graduate and Fellow of Imperial College.

Sir Brian is currently a member of the University Grants Committee, Hong Kong, President of the National Foundation for Educational Research

National Foundation for Educational Research

The National Foundation for Educational Research was founded in 1946 as a centre for educational research and development in England and Wales. NFER's head office is located at 'The Mere' in Slough, Berkshire, England...

, Chairman of the National Council for Drama Training and a Director of Higher Aims Ltd, a private consultancy involved in higher education and research management. Sir Brian is a Fellow of the Institute of Physics

Institute of Physics

The Institute of Physics is a scientific charity devoted to increasing the practice, understanding and application of physics. It has a worldwide membership of around 40,000....

, the Royal Society of Chemistry

Royal Society of Chemistry

The Royal Society of Chemistry is a learned society in the United Kingdom with the goal of "advancing the chemical sciences." It was formed in 1980 from the merger of the Chemical Society, the Royal Institute of Chemistry, the Faraday Society and the Society for Analytical Chemistry with a new...

 and a Companion of the Chartered Management Institute

Chartered Management Institute

The Chartered Management Institute is a professional institution for managers, based in the United Kingdom.In addition to supporting its members, the organisation encourages management development, carries out research, produces a wide variety of publications on management interests, and publishes...

. He has honorary degrees or fellowships from 11 universities and colleges.

Sir Brian is the current Chairman and President of the Institute of Knowledge Transfer

Institute of Knowledge Transfer

The Institute of Knowledge Transfer is the sole accredited professional body open to all those who predominately work in the broad and emerging profession of knowledge transfer.-History:...

.