Purdy began her tenure on 24 October. She succeeds Simon Thompson, who has been chief executive of the institute for five years.

Purdy joined the BIR in 2022 as director of publishing. She has extensive experience in developing and launching professional journals, including running the publishing departments of the British Society for Immunology and the National Gallery Company, working for firms such as SAGE Publishing, Hodder Education, and Elsevier, the BIR said.