Governor Profiles

Gillian is passionate about UWE and the role of good governance in the University. As Chair she aims to lead a high performing governing body that connects with the University as a whole. She was a partner in Hay Management Consultants, building up a substantial South West regional office. She is an experienced non-executive director and has held a variety of senior and board level appointments in the Home Office, the General Medical Council, Clerical Medical, Rok, Halifax, and ICL.

Charitable interests

Gillian is Chairman of Wycliffe College, a Trustee of St Monica Trust and a member of the Society of Merchant Venturers. She holds the position of Deputy Lieutenant for Gloucestershire.

Chris has a background in the construction industry and is the Non-Executive Chairman of Capita Symonds, the construction consultancy division of the Capita Group. Chris was awarded the OBE for services to the Ministry of Defence in 1996 following the delivery of several successful high profile MoD construction projects.

Charitable interests

Chris is currently Vice Chairman of the Trustees of the Clifton Suspension Bridge, with particular responsibilities for the commercial aspects of the maintenance programme. He is also a Trustee of the SS Great Britain. In addition, he is a member of the Society of Merchant Venturers.

Chris is also a passionate supporter of Bristol Rugby Club and is the current Chairman of the Club.

Iain Gray joined the Technology Strategy Board, an executive non-departmental public body, as Chief Executive in 2007. Prior to this he was Managing Director and General Manager of Airbus UK. Iain is a Chartered Engineer and holds Fellowships with the Royal Academy of Engineering, the Royal Aeronautical Society and The Royal Society of Edinburgh.

Martin Hagen is a non executive director of South West Water and Chairman of Swallowfield plc. He is also Deputy Chairman of the Regulatory Decisions Committee of the Financial Services Authority (FSA). He is a past President of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW).

Charitable Interests

Martin is a Trustee of the Fleet Air Arm Museum.

Jane is Pro Vice Chancellor & Executive Dean of the Faculty of Business and Law at UWE. Her research and teaching areas span human resource management with a specific interest in gender and work and research methodology. She is on the Executive Board of the Association of Business Schools, currently chair of their Programmes Committee and holds international posts on university boards in the Canary Islands and India, and has worked for the United Nations University of Peace. Jane continues to develop networks in Bristol in the region, and currently sits on the SW CBI council, and the Common Purpose Advisory board.

Charitable Interests

Non Executive Director of Association of Business Schools’.

John is a Bristol entrepreneur with a large number of interests. A former Chairman of Brandon Hire Plc, he is a Director at Bristol Rugby Club and Chair of the Governors of The City Academy Bristol.

Charitable Interests

John is a member of the Society of Merchant Venturers and Guild of Guardians. He is a trustee of St. Monica Trust and a Governor of Colton’s Girls’ School.

Sonia is Chief Executive of Oxford and Buckinghamshire PCT prior to this, she was the Chief Executive of North Bristol NHS Trust from 1997, and has been a career manager in the NHS for 35 years.

Charitable interests

None.

Simon is a former chairman of Barclays Corporate in the South West of England and South Wales, prior to which he worked with a US and a European bank in the City of London and New York. Simon was also a director of the Government Office of the South West and an infantry officer with the Gloucestershire Regiment. He is a graduate of Exeter University.

Charitable Interests

Simon is a member of the South West CBI Council, the Bristol Guild of Guardians, a vice president Cardiff Business Club and former member of the Bristol Common Purpose Advisory Group and the South Glamorgan Army Benevolent Fund.

Emmanuel arrived in the UK from Nigeria on September 2008 to take up a three-year Undergraduate degree program in BEng (Hons) Aerospace Manufacturing Engineering at UWE.

During both his undergraduate degree in BEng (Hons) Aerospace Manufacturing Engineering and postgraduate in Master of Business Administration (MBA) studies at UWE, Emmanuel has been involved in numerous group activities, and has had the privilege of serving in many different capacities including:

• International Students Representative to the UWESU (2009/2010)
• President of the UWE Nigerian Students Network (2010 – 2012)
• Member of the UWE Equality and Diversity Committee (2009)
• Global Student Support Mentor (2010 - 2012)
• Member of UWE Constitution Review Committee (2009)
• Member UWESU Students’ in Council (2011/12)
• UWE Student Ambassador (2008 – present)

Emmanuel is the Students Union President and Chair of both the Student Governor Forum and the UWESU Executive Community for 2012/13. His role is to ensure that students at UWE are regularly engaged with and that their views are represented to the University.

Outside of his studies, Emmanuel enjoys playing golf, table/lawn tennis, kickboxing, chess, and poker as well as listens to jazz and classical music.

Charitable Interests

Emmanuel is a trustee of the University of the West of England Students’ Union.

Paul is the Pro Vice Chancellor and Executive Dean of the Faculty of Environment and Technology at UWE. With well published and on-going research and active knowledge exchange activities between academia and businesses, Paul has developed specific expertise in Productivity and Performance enhancement strategies to the benefit of a number of Governments, Agencies, Charities, Companies and Institutions worldwide. He is a Board Director of the Equality Challenge Unit (ECU) and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts.

Charitable Interests

None.

Trevor is Chairman of LDJ Design and Display, a company which provides Christmas decorations to large shopping centres; and UKRD who are the operators of several local radio stations. He was previously Executive Chairman of Badgerline and FirstGroup Plc. He has been Chairman of the Governors of Colston’s Girls’ School for 10 years.

Charitable Interests

Trevor is currently President of St Monica Trust and Quartet Community Foundation. He is also a trustee of Bramble Charitable Trust.

Graham was the Vice-Chancellor of Oxford Brookes University for 10 years until August 2007 and Interim Vice Chancellor of the University of Cumbria from May 2010 to July 2011. He is Chair of the Board of Oxford Expression Technologies and President of the Oxford Playhouse.

Charitable Interests

None.

Graham is a nurseryman with business interests in both the horticultural and equestrian industries in Gloucestershire. He was appointed Chair of Hartpury College Board of Governors in 2006.

Charitable Interests

None.

Steven is the current Vice-Chancellor at UWE, leading the development and delivery of the strategic plan. He is a trained Podiatrist and Podiatric Surgeon, moving into academia during the 1980’s, he is research active in the field of the Diabetic Foot and Foot Biomechanics. Steve is a Fellow of the Society of Chiropodists and Podiatrist and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Medicine.

Charitable interests

Steve is a member of the Regional Council of The Prince’s Trust, a Patron of the Royal West of England Academy, and a Director of the Trust for Learning. His other interests include: President of the City Academy Bristol; member, Bristol Initiative; member, Honorary Vice President, The Bristol Oporto Association; Patron, DAVAR.

National Bodies

Steve is Vice-Chair of the South West Strategic Health Authority, Non Executive Director of the Leadership Foundation, Chair of Universities South West, Chair of the Health and Research Policy Committee of UUK and Board Member of UUK and Member of HEFCE Health Education Advisory Committee.

Sandra Forbes is a partner with Burgess Salmon LLP, and is the Head of the Department for Corporate Finance, Banking, Employment and Pensions. Sandra is also the Sector Head for Banking, and has previously been on the governing committee of Burges Salmon LLP for six years. Sandra is a trustee of the Burges Salmon Charitable Trust.