Digital Futures Institute Welcomes Robert Wigley as New Honorary Professor

Robert Wigley, Chairman of UK Finance, has joined the Digital Futures Institute as an Honorary Professor in Digital Futures to research the effects of social media on mental health.

Professor Wigley will work with the new Institute Fellow Dr Dan Nicolau on the project “Is the Protection of Attention a Human Right?”. The project tests the hypothesis that social media use can cause inflammation, potentially by interfering with attention.

I am excited to join the Digital Futures Institute at King’s with a focus on filling the gap in academic research proving that certain types of social media can cause physical, not just mental harm. The Institute, as a venture across medical, humanities and social sciences faculties is uniquely placed to do this, and I look forward to guiding and supporting their work.

Robert Wigley, Honorary Professor in Digital Futures

We are delighted to welcome Robert Wigley as he joins the Digital Futures Institute as Honorary Professor. Robert’s industry experience and interests in the challenges presented by social media, games and new devices provide an extremely valuable perspective for our mission to reconsider the relationship between the individual and technology.

Professor Marion Thain, Chair-Director of the Digital Futures Institute

Robert Wigley is a businessman, entrepreneur, investor, philanthropist and ex-banker. He was EMEA Chairman of Merill Lynch from 2003-2009 and served on the board of the Bank of England during the financial crisis. He is the Chairman of UK Finance and sits on the UK’s Economic Crime Strategic Board and Economic Security Public Private Forum.

Professor Wigley has a business degree from Bath University, is a Visiting Fellow at Oxford University and an Honorary Fellow at Cambridge University. He is the author of Born Digital: The Story of a Distracted Generation. Robert Wigley was the Chairman of the Green Investment Bank Commission. He is a Non-Executive Director of R3, Lightico and a partner in Seraphim Space Enterprise.