Clarivate Analytics, the global leader in providing trusted insights and analytics to enable the research ecosystem to accelerate discovery, announced today that Annette Thomas, previously appointed to the Clarivate board, will join the company in September as Chief Executive Officer of its Scientific and Academic Research division, well-known for its industry-leading Web of Science platform. Thomas will lead the global team from its London office.
Thomas brings nearly 25 years of experience to this role including Managing Director of Nature Publishing Group, Chief Executive Officer of Macmillan Science and Education and most recently Chief Scientific Officer and global head of Springer Nature’s research business. She also serves as a Trustee and board member of The Yale Corporation, the governing board and policy-making body for Yale University.
Thomas will focus on expanding the company’s leadership position in the scientific and academic research market. No stranger to this task, she has spent her career building businesses in scientific and educational publishing, technology and analytics, beginning as a cell biology editor for Nature. For more than 15 years, she was at the helm of Nature, transforming it from a handful of print-based scientific magazines into one of the most highly regarded, digitally-focused research information groups in the world. While at Nature and Macmillan, Thomas expanded the group globally and diversified the business, including the launch of Digital Science, a technology and analytics company. She was also an early advocate of open access, driving Nature’s developments in this area.
“Annette has consistently built and led teams that have out-paced the market in terms of growth, by being customer-focused, brand-led and pushing the boundaries of what it means to be a scientific publisher. Her advocacy for open access and dedication to improving the researcher ecosystem has already influenced and benefitted our strategy at Clarivate,” said Jay Nadler, CEO of Clarivate Analytics. “She played an integral role in our recent acquisition of Publons and our partnership with Impactstory.”
“Annette has been a valuable member of the Clarivate Analytics board since she joined in March,” said Kosty Gilis, Managing Director at Onex Corporation and Chairman of the board. “As she transitions to her new executive leadership role within Clarivate, her vision and expertise will clearly benefit the Scientific and Academic Research business and the Web of Science brand.”
“It is an exciting time in the research community and specifically at Clarivate Analytics,” said Thomas. “There is a tangible opportunity to transform the way in which the discovery, evaluation and impact of scientific research occurs, and Clarivate Analytics, with world-renowned brands such as Web of Science, extensive reach across the market and its independent and neutral status, is the best positioned organization to do so. It will be a pleasure working with the shareholders, who have demonstrated their commitment to invest in transformational opportunities, and leading this exceptional team, as they pioneer new approaches to become the trusted arbiter of quality and impact for researchers, funders and the entire research community.”