Vanessa Vivienne Lawrence CB HonFREng FRGS FRICS FRSGS CCMI (born 14 July 1962) is a British businessperson, geographer and speaker working internationally.

[6][7] The same year, she was also appointed as a Non-Executive Director of the Satellite Applications Catapult Ltd,[8] a Director of Location International, a Location Global Ltd Company[9] and a Member of the Advisory Groups of the Urban Big Data Centre,[9] Seraphim Space LLP,[10] the Space Venture Capital Fund backed by the British Business Bank and Spatial Finance Initiative.

[25][26] She has been awarded the Royal Scottish Geographical Society, Scottish Geographical Medal for conspicuous merit and world-wide repute,[27] the Institute of Directors South-East Director of the Year Award in 2008[28] and was made the Geospatial Person of the Decade 2000-2010[29] In 2008 she joined the Council of the University of Cambridge[30] for four and a half years having served on the Council of the University of Southampton from 2001 to 2008.

[32][33][34][35] She served in this role continuously for four years working with others to develop UN-GGIM to be the lead global authority for governments and the private sector in geographic Information.

On behalf of all UN Member States, the Committee of Experts appreciates the considerable leadership and dedication of time and effort you have given to promote, shape and guide UN-GGIM since its establishment by the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations (ECOSOC) in 2011.