meet the team

Jason Briggs

Consulting Fellow

An award-winning authority in fundraising insight and intelligence, specialising in data-led strategy.

• A talented fundraising manager and prospect developer with a range of start-up experience, from major gift programs to fundraising research, including KPI reporting, analytics, and ethics & reputational risk.
• Currently Director of Development for Cavendish Cancer Care, a regional charity dedicated to offering support to those living with cancer across Yorkshire & Humber.
• Won an Insight in Fundraising Award in 2016 for innovative work on fundraising analytics.
• Won the CASE Europe Iain More Award in 2017 for ‘emerging development professional’.

Jason is active in the Development Services sector and serves on the Institute of Fundraising Researchers in Fundraising Committee, where he was Conference Lead for Europe’s largest gathering of fundraising intelligence professionals. He is also a regular speaker at CASE Development Services, CASE Europe, RIF and QS Summit on the topics of data-led strategy.

Jason was previously a Consultant for a global fundraising consultancy where he specialised in fundraising intelligence, feasibility and campaign planning. Prior to that he headed up research, analytics, and due diligence at The University of Sheffield, where he led his team to win an Insight in Fundraising Award in 2016 for their innovative work on fundraising analytics. At Sheffield, he also served on the University’s Research Ethics Committee reporting to the Senate, responsible for ethical integrity & reputational risk.

For his efforts in the higher education sector, particularly championing data-led fundraising and for innovation in analytics, Jason won the prestigious CASE Europe Iain More Award in 2017 for ‘emerging development professional’.

In his spare time, Jason served as a Trustee and fundraising head for a Tibetan Buddhist charity, where he led the team to raise £1.2m to found a remote retreat centre. Jason is currently a Trustee for the Foundation for Developing Wisdom and Compassion, which delivers successful international education programs. 

Angela Pedder DBE

Advisory Group

Dame Angela Pedder is a member of the Halpin Advisory Group, and also Vice Chair of Governors at Exeter Royal Academy for Deaf Education. She is an experienced senior NHS leader with experience across all sectors of healthcare at national regional and local levels. Angela is a mentor and coach to CEOs and senior executives in newly appointed or significantly challenging roles, and is a system working and system leadership consultant. Angela has a wealth of experience in strategic leadership, partnership working, complex change management, patient safety, corporate and clinical governance and operational performance improvement.

Angela applies her depth of knowledge to work as a coach and mentor to newly appointed Chairs of Boards.

Fezzan Ahmed

Consulting Fellow

An experienced major gifts fundraiser and project manager with proven results in higher education.

• Extensive major gift fundraising and project management experience in both the Arts & Culture and Higher Education sectors.
• Completed the £5.1m campaign for the Regent Street Cinema at University of Westminster.
• Managed several multi-million-pound change projects for organisations such as HSBC, the University of Westminster and the Battersea Arts Centre.
• Over a decade of diverse experience across the private and voluntary sectors

Fezzan was most recently at the University of Westminster, where he managed a £5.1m major campaign to restore and reopen the historic Regent Street Cinema, including securing funding, partnerships and developing operations. During that time, he also brokered academic/commercial partnerships with organisations such as Bloomberg, Adidas, Kodak and Eurostar.

His career began in the commercial world at HSBC, where he managed multi-million-pound projects around cultural change, process improvement and optimisation of resource. He retains strong links to the private sector. He then moved into the Arts and Culture sector, instigating a £16.3m overall fundraising strategy for Battersea Arts Centre which included a ground-breaking renovation of a Grade 2 listed Town Hall, generating significant income from corporate and individual donors for both capital and revenue targets.

Fezzan is dedicated to social change, sustainability and diversity in the fundraising sector. As a founding member of the BME staff network committee at the University of Westminster, he instigated research into BME Fundraisers in the UK voluntary sector championed by organisations such as the Institute of Fundraisers and the Council for Advancement and Support of Education in Europe.

He received his master’s in Community Organising from Queen Mary University, and studied Molecular Genetics at the University of Sussex.

Sir Drummond Bone

Consulting Fellow

A highly respected leader in higher education known for his thought leadership.

• Master of Balliol College at the University of Oxford until April 2018.
• He previously served as Vice-Chancellor of the University of Liverpool from 2002 to 2008, and Principal of Royal Holloway, University of London, from 2000 to 2002.
• Professor Bone was knighted in the 2008 Birthday Honours for services to Higher Education and the regeneration of the North-West.

Drummond Bone is the recently retired Master of Balliol College, Oxford, and is the Chair of the Arts and Humanities Research Council. Drummond Bone was previously Professor of English Literature at the University of Glasgow, Principal of Royal Holloway, Vice-Chancellor of Liverpool, and President of UUK.

He has been much involved in University Business interactions for the Northern Way and the CBI, wrote an influential report commissioned by the Government on University Internationalisation, and has directed the establishment or reform of University fundraising operations in three of the Universities with which he has been involved.

Jim Buggy

Consulting Fellow

A results-driven fundraising professional with more than 35 years of experience raising over $500 million.

• Advises non-profits on capital campaigns, strategic planning and board development.
• Former Director of Development at the Windward School, Los Angeles.
• Former Vice President for Development at Regis High School, New York City.
• Jim has worked with a cross-section of clients both as a consultant and staff member, raising more than $500 million for capital, annual, planned giving and special event projects.

He has designed and directed capital fundraising campaigns and feasibility studies, advised on board development and strategic planning and has been a trusted advisor for organisations undergoing growth or in transformation.

During a thirteen-year tenure at Regis High School, Jim raised over $100 million, including two capital campaigns; a year-long series of events celebrating the school’s Centennial; and developed a planned giving program that generated $2 million in annual income.

Jim is Senior Warden of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Fairfield and has been involved in several volunteer and professional organisations.

Charlie McCallum

Consulting Fellow

Over 20 years’ experience of fundraising and profile-raising in the higher education and arts sectors.

• An leading expert in fundraising, development and alumni relations.
• Successfully led teams at the Universities of Bath, Bristol and Exeter.
• Former Senior Development Manager, and Head of Alumni Relations, at University of Exeter.

Charlie works with a range of clients to support their strategic planning and operational delivery of fundraising programmes.

Charlie started his career producing arts festivals in London, for which he set up a charitable company, raised funds and managed all aspects of the festival's delivery.  He then worked at the Victoria & Albert Museum in London securing and managing major corporate sponsorships and setting up their first regular giving programme.

Charlie is a graduate of the University of Edinburgh, a member of the Institute of Fundraising and a non-executive director of Chagfood, one of the UK’s leading community supported agriculture (CSA) schemes. He served as a Trustee with a specific remit for fundraising at St. George’s Bristol, one of the UK’s leading concert halls.

Penny Hubbard

Consulting Fellow

A leading figure in development with a proven track record in leadership and fundraising strategy.

• 11 years as Development Director & Fellow at Newnham College University of Cambridge, with expertise in establishing an outstanding fundraising and alumnae relations programme.
• Successfully created and led the biggest campaign in the College's history.
• Skilled in alumni relations, charity governance and legal issues.

Penny has been Development Director and Fellow at Newnham College University of Cambridge for the past eleven years. Here she established an outstanding fundraising and alumnae relations programme at Newnham College University of Cambridge, and successfully created and led the biggest campaign in the College's history, embedding a strong and sustainable culture of giving. As a Fellow and member of the Governing Body she has experience on charity governance and legal issues. Penny is also skilled in alumnae communications (both written and social media).

Prior to changing career to the field of development, Penny practiced commercial property law for 17 years. She was the first female partner with children in the City law firm Macfarlanes where she advised on multi-million pound property deals. She then built her own commercial property development practice at Mills & Reeve in Cambridge.

Penny is passionate about the positive impact that business management coaching has on institutions. She has acted informally as a mentor and is professionalising those skills by qualifying as an Accredited Business Coach with Meyler Campbell. While her expertise is broad, she is particularly interested in diversity and how best to use an integrated approach to career progression and executive board membership. Penny is a Trustee of the educational charity for social mobility, Achievement for All.

Jack Oldham

Consulting Fellow

A senior figure with decades of proven international success in fundraising counsel, organisational development, strategic planning and evaluation research.

• Consultant to higher education, non-profits and the philanthropic sector, drawing upon three decades of experience in education and resource development administration.
• Former consultant to MIT-Skolkovo Initiative, advising on a capital campaign which led to $600M in endowment for Skolkovo Institute for Science and Technology (Skoltech).
• Former Senior Strategic Advisor to Vice-President for Resource Development (Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge MA).
• Former Associate Vice President, Development and External Affairs (Bryant University, Smithfield, RI).

Jack has advised countless schools, universities and organisations across the United States of America and beyond, helping them to transform their fundraising. He has delivered fundraising counsel, organisational development, strategic planning and evaluation research to higher education, schools, colleges, foundations and the non-profit community.

Jack advises on organisational assessment (development audits, due diligence studies, etc.), staff development and training (especially in major gifts “moves management”), board development (recruitment strategies, committee structures, policy development), organisational design (especially of the resource development function), capital campaign planning, mentoring resources development staff (as managers and in working with academic deans, etc.) and foundation relations programmes.

Tony Woodcock

Consulting Fellow

A pioneer in the field of arts management and music education. 

• Dedicated to positioning future generations of artists as independent innovators and community leaders.
• President of New England Conservatory from 2007-2015
• A veteran negotiator and institutional reformer

At the heart of Tony’s work is a dedication to positioning future innovators and leaders. Tony was President of New England Conservatory from 2007-2015, following a transcontinental career managing orchestras including Minneapolis, Oregon, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic and Bournemouth Symphony.

A veteran negotiator and institutional reformer, he has made dynamism and fresh ideas the foundation of his leadership, and has left a legacy of potent innovations still in evidence across the United States and Great Britain. As an orchestral CEO, he organized numerous international tours between Europe and the United States, successfully negotiated collective bargaining agreements with four major Orchestras, and collaborated with a diverse array of celebrity talent, from Paul McCartney to Yakov Kreizberg.

All of this was achieved against a backdrop of increases in audience and revenue. Tony studied music at Cardiff University, where he was recently awarded an Honorary Fellowship. He is now Visiting Professor for Social Entrepreneurship at Berklee Valencia and Visiting Professor for Entrepreneurship at the Reina Sofia School of Music Madrid, dividing his time between southern Europe and NYC, teaching, writing, and consulting on projects.

Doug Thomson

Consulting Fellow

A seasoned consultant with 25 years of experience as a major gift fundraiser and philanthropy consultant.

• Former Director of £242m Impact Campaign at University of Nottingham.
• International experience working globally with donors and grantmakers.
• A wealth of development experience across HE and the charity sector.

Doug’s experience is distinctive in that he has worked as both a fundraiser and as a grant-maker. He is also one of few UK development professionals who has played a leading role through the entire lifecycle of a major university fundraising campaign.

From 2009 Doug has worked as an independent consultant with institutional clients in the education and charity sectors and with individuals and families, helping to inform their philanthropy.  From 2013 to 2018 Doug worked in-house at the University of Nottingham as Director of the £242m Impact Campaign, which completed in September 2017 having exceeded its original goal of £150m.  From May 2018 Doug will work with a small group of clients alongside a substantial commission for the Sutton Trust, where he is developing and implementing a strategy for long-term funding of the Trust. Doug also served as the first Development Director at the Sutton Trust where he established major funding partnerships and more than doubled the Trust’s grant making capacity.

Doug began his career in development roles at the Imperial Cancer Research Fund, University of Oxford and at the Royal National Institute for the Blind, where he established and successfully implemented new major gift programmes.   He has extensive experience of working with donors from the USA and Asia and in managing relationships between international donors and grantees.

Richard Sved

Consulting Fellow

Richard is an experienced professional with a strong track record of strategic and operational excellence in the voluntary sector stretching well over two decades. 

His key strengths lie in charity strategic planning, fundraising, governance and communications – and the parts where all of these intersect.

Richard has led the fundraising function for seven national charities, has worked with a wide range of organisations as a consultant and trainer, and has direct experience and success in most areas of fundraising, including from individuals, trusts, HLF, Big Lottery Fund and companies. He has advised a wide range of organisations on their fundraising strategy, case for support development, and business planning in recent years, including Cancer Research UK, Tommy’s, Epilepsy Society and Girlguiding.

He also has experience of policy, communications, mentoring and governance development. Richard is Founding Director of 3rd Sector Mission Control, is a Trustee of St Albans Museums & Galleries Trust, and in his spare time established The Funding Network in Hertfordshire, which has so far raised nearly £40,000 for 11 small local organisations. He has worked and volunteered for charities for over 25 years.

Ewart Wooldridge CBE

Consulting Fellow

Ewart Wooldridge was the founding Chief Executive from 2003 to 2013 of the Leadership Foundation for Higher Education, set up to play a key role in developing UK and international HE leaders and their institutions. He has a well-established portfolio of consultancy, advisory and governance roles in the HE sector.

He was previously Chief Executive of the Civil Service College, and a Chief Officer in Local Government. Before that he worked in HR and general management roles in the media, television, and the arts. He was Director of Operations at London’s South Bank Arts Centre in the mid-1990s.

His project and consultancy assignments in HE include facilitating senior teams, coaching, and working with university leadership teams on strategy development and the management of change. He is licensed to administer a variety of leadership behaviour tools, including delivering 360-degree feedback. He is a consultant to the National Union of Students offering coaching to Chief Executives of Students’ Unions.

He has strong experience in governance development, having devised the Leadership Foundation Governor Development Programme jointly with the CUC, and designed and run the highly successful VC/Chair retreats for the LF. He has been Deputy Chair of Council at the Institute of Education, London, a member of the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales and is now on the Council of St Georges University of London and Chair of their Remuneration Committee.

Ewart was awarded the CBE for services to leadership in the Queen’s Birthday Honours 2004. He was awarded an Honorary Fellowship by Cardiff University in 2012 and received an Honorary Doctorate from the Open University in 2014.

He is a major contributor to a book published in 2019 on ‘Strategic Leadership of Change in Higher Education’. He is joint author (with Dame Madeleine Atkins) of an Advance HE Report also published in 2019 entitled “Agility & Resilience: Meeting the Strategic Leadership Challenges in HE”.

David Allen OBE

Advisory Group & Consulting Fellow

Former university Registrar, passionate about students and their experience in university, now highly sought-after for consultancy work.

• Former Registrar and Deputy Chief Executive of the University of Exeter
• Held senior leadership roles in the universities of Birmingham, Nottingham, Southampton and Wales
• Acknowledged expert on corporate governance and risk management, having acted as Secretary to the Councils of three Russell Group universities
• He was awarded an OBE in the 2012 New Year’s Honours list for services to higher education.
• David worked in higher education for 37 years, retiring in 2013 as Registrar and Deputy Chief Executive of the University of Exeter.

David has since built a wide portfolio of activity. He was a Principal Consultant at Perrett Laver, executive search consultants, from 2013-14. He currently chairs the boards of the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales (HEFCW), Exeter College and Torbay Pharmaceuticals. He is Vice-Chair of Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust.

In addition, he has undertaken consultancy projects for a range of clients including the universities of Kent, Suffolk, Nottingham, Lancaster and the Russell Group. He has been an external adviser on senior appointments to numerous universities, including Cambridge, UCL, LSE, Trinity College, Dublin, Liverpool, Leicester, Luxembourg, Bangor and Swansea.

David is the only person to have chaired both the Association of University Administrators and the Association of Heads of University Administration. He was the inaugural chair of the Russell Group registrars. He is a former Board member of the Leadership Foundation for Higher Education (LFHE) and of the Heart of the South West Local Enterprise Partnership. He jointly chaired the companies responsible for developing and operating Exeter and Falmouth University’s shared campus in Penryn, Cornwall. He also chaired a steering group of partners that led to the development of Exeter Science Park.

Tim Melville Ross CBE

Advisory Group

Tim Melville Ross is a member of the Halpin Advisory Group. He is former HEFCE Chairman, immediate past Chair of Homerton University Hospital Foundation Trust). Tim joined Nationwide Building Society and stayed for 20 years, the last 10 as Chief Executive. He was then Head of the Institute of Directors for five years. Tim was appointed a CBE in the 2005 New Year Honours for services to Workplace Learning and Development and a Knight Bachelor in the 2018 New Year Honours for services to Higher Education.

Maureen Boylan MBE

Consulting Fellow

A senior-level expert in institutional leadership and governance, with a proven record of leading major change programmes.

• Former University Secretary, University of London.
• Experienced at leading mergers, transitions and major change programmes.
• A governance expert with senior-level experience across a number of institutions.
• A member of HEFCW’s Quality Assurance Committee until 2017, and in 2015 was awarded an MBE for services to Higher Education.

Maureen Boylan was the Secretary of the University of London until early 2018.  She has long experience in Higher Education, much of it gained in senior roles in the colleges and member institutions of the federal University.   Her experience includes the leadership of professional services, whole-institutional change, governance, audit and risk, and strategic development. She has led on a number of high profile “closures, mergers and acquisitions” – to put this into corporate language.

Her consultancy and advisory experience across the sector includes governor training, Board behaviour, effectiveness reviews, and governance development. She has recently managed the passing of a new Act of Parliament to enable a historic change to the structure of University of London federation and its member institutions. She served on the HEFCW Quality Assurance Committee until 2017, and is presently Trustee of a significant regional heritage charity.

Maureen received an MBE for services to Higher Education in 2015, and in 2018 was named as one of the University of London’s 150 “Leading Women” throughout its 150-year history in women’s education.  She was awarded an Honorary Fellowship of the University in 2019.

Frank Toop MBE

Consulting Fellow

Significant senior-level experience across UK Higher and Further Education including as a Governor/Trustee, Committee Chair, University Secretary, Chief Operating Officer and Finance Director.

• An authority on all HE governance matters, from 2006-15, Frank held the role of University Secretary of City, University of London. He reported to the Chair of Council (the governing body) managing all governance matters including joint responsibility, with Chair of Audit & Risk Committee, for the in-house Internal Audit function. He professionalised City’s governance arrangements following the granting of the first slimmed-down Charter & Statutes in the UK HE Sector. This involved reducing the size of Council and changing its culture. He helped move the University to leading edge governance in many areas including academic governance and remuneration.
• Since leaving City, Frank has acted as a consultant – (a) advising City on significant changes to its Charter & Statutes linked to City becoming a member of the University of London and (b) supporting the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine as interim secretary, reviewing academic governance, ordinances & Charter and has just completed a Governance Effectiveness Review.
• Frank was a member of the HEFCE Audit Committee 2009-15 and Goldsmiths, University of London Audit Committee 2009-14. He has been Vice-Chair of Orpington College and London South East Colleges where he chaired firstly the Audit & Risk Committee and then the Finance Committee and a Board member of the Bromley NHS Hospital Trust.
• He was a member of the Halpin team that carried out the University of Bath governance review in 2018.
• Frank was awarded an MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours 2014.
• After training as an accountant and acting as a Director of Finance at City University from 1990. His role expanded in 2001 to include property/facilities, HR, legal affairs, procurement, internal audit, and health & safety. He moved to a purely governance role in 2008.

Selena Bolingbroke

Consulting Fellow

A dynamic and sought-after consultant with extensive HE, FE and public sector senior leadership experience.

• 20 years' experience delivering results in both higher and further education, and also local and central government.
• Passionate about employability and enterprise and a champion of skills-led regeneration.
• Formerly Pro Vice-Chancellor at University of East London, where she was responsible for Strategic Planning & External Development.

Selena has worked across higher education, central and local government in roles that have combined her interests in education, enterprise and regeneration. She combines her consultancy portfolio, working with leading management consultancies to deliver results. Alongside Halpin, Selena is an Associate Director of MetaValue, a consultancy practice focused on supporting change and entrepreneurial growth strategies. She also leads on External Engagement and Strategic Development at Goldsmiths, University of London.

Selena is a governor of a school in East London and a non-executive director of Wonkhe – the online home of higher education policy wonks. She is a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and Fellow of the Royal Society for Arts.

Recent consultancy projects Selena has undertaken include: the Society of Chief Librarians (research project to develop a Universal Offer for Culture for Public Libraries), University of Sheffield Students’ Union (review of commercial services and delivery of income growth generation plan), University of Westminster (review of student enterprise provision), Rose Bruford College (review of student recruitment) and Dudley Libraries and Adult Learning (growth strategy, business plan and financial plan to grow income).

Hanif Barma

Consulting Fellow

With extensive experience of board and committee reviews, Hanif brings considerable expertise in governance, risk and assurance. Hanif has worked with a wide range of clients including plcs, private companies, subsidiaries, regulators and not-for-profit organisations and will bring to the review a strong understanding of board culture and dynamics, board information and board processes.

Hanif is a founder partner of Board Alchemy, a specialist governance consultancy. For thirteen years Hanif was a founder partner at Independent Audit, and prior to this was a director at PwC. Hanif's highly regarded work with audit and risk functions enables him to deliver an impressive working knowledge of assurance to boards. His work with boards and committees brings insight to risk and audit functions of their key stakeholders' needs and expectations.

• Recently appointed as a member of the Audit Committee at the London Institute of Banking and Finance. 
• Former Chair (and before that Audit Committee Chairman) of St Christopher’s Fellowship, a leading specialist charity for children and young people in care and on the edge of care.
• A former member of the Audit & Risk Committee at City, University of London.
• Honorary Visiting Fellow of corporate governance at Cass Business School.
• Former member of the Working Group of the Financial Reporting Council's Audit & Assurance Lab.
• Co-founder of The Risk Coalition (an initiative to raise the standards of risk governance and risk management).
• A Chartered Accountant with an MBA from London Business School.

Simon Gaskell

Advisory Group

Simon Gaskell is a member of the Halpin Advisory Group. He is Chair at the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education. Previously he was President and Principal of Queen Mary University of London.

Dr Andrew West

Consulting Fellow

A higher education specialist with 25 years of unrivalled expertise spanning governance and professional services.

• Former University Secretary at the University of Sheffield.
• Eleven years’ experience leading student-related professional services.
• In demand for advice and consultancy at a wide range of institutions in England, Wales and Scotland.
• Dr West currently holds an appointment as Strategic Adviser to the Association of University Administrators (AUA) and is a Trustee of the Students’ Union of Liverpool Hope University.

As University Secretary at the University of Sheffield, Andrew provided key advice and support to the University’s Council and governance structure, working closely with the University Executive Board.

Before his appointment as University Secretary, Andrew led student-related professional services at the University of Sheffield for eleven years. He had a wide remit covering student recruitment and admissions, academic services including learning and teaching support, registry and student administration, careers and employability, and a broad range of student support and wellbeing services.

Dr West is a former Chair of AMOSSHE – The Student Services Organisation. Other previous appointments include membership of the Executive of IASAS – a global student services organisation; and the HE Advisory Panel for the Office of the Independent Adjudicator. Andrew’s work on student affairs features in professional publications and journals in the UK and overseas, including a forthcoming chapter in UNESCO’s guide to global best practice in HE student affairs.

Will Spinks

Consulting Fellow

A senior-level leader in higher education, having held the post of Registrar, Secretary and Chief Operating Officer at University of Manchester. After retiring from his full-time post in September 2017, Will is now Associate Vice President acting as an advisor to the Senior Leadership Team. His expertise stretches to the commercial world too, having held numerous senior posts at the research-based biopharmaceutical organisation AstraZeneca.

• Will joined the University of Manchester as Registrar, Secretary and Chief Operating Officer in June 2011. After retiring from his full-time post in September 2017, he was appointed as an Associate Vice President acting as an advisor to the Senior Leadership Team.
• He is a Non-Executive Director of one of the UK's largest pension funds and acts as a Trustee Director and Chair of a number of local charities. He is a graduate of the Common Purpose 20:20 Leadership Development Programme.
• Prior to joining Manchester, Will was the first Chief Operating Officer of Loughborough University. In this role he was responsible for all the service functions and the commercial activities of the University. In addition, he chaired and served on the Board of wholly owned subsidiary companies and the Manufacturing Technology Centre.
• Before moving into the HE sector, Will pursued a career in ICI, Zeneca and AstraZeneca, working in a number of businesses and functions in both the UK and USA. This culminated in him establishing a Business Services organisation providing HR, Finance, Purchasing, Communications, SHE, Facilities Management and Site Services to all AstraZeneca's UK sites. In this role, he had line management accountability for over 1,300 people.
• From 2001-2007, he also acted as Site Manager at AstraZeneca's largest R&D site globally, Alderley Park.

Dr Vicky Lewis

Consulting Fellow

A highly regarded HE consultant with particular expertise in international strategy development.

• Senior HE leadership experience, including expertise in developing internationalisation strategies at different stages of institutional maturity.
• In-depth understanding of international marketing, communications and student recruitment practices.
• Application of insights developed from academic research into HE management, with a particular focus on values-led, fully integrated internationalisation.
• Personal attributes including incisive thinking, willingness to listen and learn, translation of strategy into tangible actions, and the ability to engage and motivate a wide range of stakeholders.

Vicky has 20 years’ experience in the UK HE sector, starting off at what is now University of Wales Trinity St David, then Edinburgh Napier University, before settling in southern England (Bournemouth University) in 2000.

Internationalisation has been a constant thread in her roles which have ranged from establishing an International Office from scratch to leading an 80-person Marketing & Communications Directorate at Bournemouth University. She has 13 years’ experience operating at University Leadership Team level and leading organisation-wide initiatives. Vicky has direct experience of engaging with students, partner organisations and other stakeholders in South East Asia, South Asia, East Asia, North America, Africa and Europe.

Alongside her work, Vicky completed a Doctorate of Business Administration in higher education management at the University of Bath. Her thesis (2007) examined motivations, strategies, and approaches to internationalisation at UK HEIs.

Since moving into consultancy in 2013 she has undertaken numerous projects for UK and international clients including advising a Russell Group university on the marketing strategy and operations for its new overseas campus; presenting options for establishing an overseas office; identifying markets ripe for transnational education pathways; as well as developing and reviewing international strategies and advising on associated delivery structures.

Shakira Martin

Advisory Group & Consulting Fellow

Shakira Martin is outgoing National President of the National Union of Students UK, representing 7 million students across Further and Higher Education, most recently successful leading on an organisational turnaround strategy.

She is known for pioneering NUS's Poverty Commission, shining a light on the barriers still facing working class people accessing FE and HE. She is one of only a handful of people to hold the post from an FE background, and the first black woman to have held the role in NUS's 96 year history.

A proud alumni of Lewisham Southwark College, Shakira was undertaking a teaching qualification when she began her career in student politics. She was the Student President at her college and quickly made her mark on the national scene. She was elected the Vice President Further Education at NUS in 2015 and represented FE students in this role for two years prior to Heflin President.

Shakira's campaigning credentials are well established with major wins under her belt on student representation, funding, and access. She makes regular local and national media appearances and is passionate about equality in education in terms of access and outcomes. As President she coined the phrase, "it's not just about getting in, it's about getting on".

Sara Doherty

Consulting Fellow

An experienced consultant and strategic leader with a proven track record of managing services and people in complex organisations.

• Cross-sector experience of service delivery and process improvement to enhance effectiveness and efficiency.
• A collaborative and pragmatic approach to leadership and focus on a solution-based approach.
• Brings operational knowledge and understanding as well as managing and collaborating at senior team and board level.
• Successfully brings about simplicity through complexity.

Sara has 25 years’ experience teaching in further and in management in higher education holding senior roles in universities representing all mission groups. Her knowledge is grounded in the student experience and with Academic Registrar experience advises on policy, governance and compliance. Since 2015 she has been a consultant working with clients such as GSM London, Goldsmiths, UCLAN, LSHTM and UUK.

Sara is studying for a professional qualification in Coaching & Mentoring and is a trained mediator. She is a fellow of the HEA and a role model for the Leadership Foundation’s women in management Aurora Programme.

Patrick Kennedy

Consulting Fellow

A change-management expert, and a specialist in strategic planning, delivering insight and converting it into action.

• Skilled at identifying vital improvement opportunities for universities.
• Strategic insights and analysis.
• Performance reviews and design of performance indicator systems.
• Creation of change programmes to improve service delivery .

Patrick, formerly Director of Strategic Planning & Change at the University of Exeter, is now in demand as a consultant, working with a range of high-profile clients in UK HE.

With extensive director-level higher education experience, Patrick provides professional consultancy services which focus on the very highest level of quality in change management and strategic planning.

Selena Bolingbroke

Consulting Fellow

A dynamic and sought-after consultant with extensive HE, FE and public sector senior leadership experience.

• 20 years' experience delivering results in both higher and further education, and also local and central government.
• Passionate about employability and enterprise and a champion of skills-led regeneration.
• Formerly Pro Vice-Chancellor at University of East London, where she was responsible for Strategic Planning & External Development.

Selena has worked across higher education, central and local government in roles that have combined her interests in education, enterprise and regeneration. She combines her consultancy portfolio, working with leading management consultancies to deliver results. Alongside Halpin, Selena is an Associate Director of MetaValue, a consultancy practice focused on supporting change and entrepreneurial growth strategies. She also leads on External Engagement and Strategic Development at Goldsmiths, University of London.

Selena is a governor of a school in East London and a non-executive director of Wonkhe – the online home of higher education policy wonks. She is a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and Fellow of the Royal Society for Arts.

Recent consultancy projects Selena has undertaken include: the Society of Chief Librarians (research project to develop a Universal Offer for Culture for Public Libraries), University of Sheffield Students’ Union (review of commercial services and delivery of income growth generation plan), University of Westminster (review of student enterprise provision), Rose Bruford College (review of student recruitment) and Dudley Libraries and Adult Learning (growth strategy, business plan and financial plan to grow income).

David Miller

Consulting Fellow

Former brand-manager for Marmite, and specialist in advertising, now providing marketing consultancy to HE clients

•  Previously Head of Marketing for University of Exeter
• In demand for marketing and advertising consultancy to clients across the HE sector
• Extensive experience at a senior level with luminaries such as Ogilvy & Mather and Saatchi & Saatchi

David’s career was initially in marketing, one of his early jobs being brand manager for Marmite. He subsequently moved into advertising working his way up to becoming a group account director at Saatchi & Saatchi during its heyday, running around a fifth of the agency’s UK business. He later became Managing Director of Young & Rubicam, helping to double its turnover in five years and become the fifth largest ad agency in the UK.

 WPP transferred him to Ogilvy & Mather, where he became Worldwide Client Services Director for the Ford Motor Company, and Chairman of Ogilvy One, a fast-growing digital marketing company. In 1997, he set up his own company specialising in customer retention for blue chip clients including Toyota & NatWest.

He joined the University of Exeter in August 2011 as Head of Marketing. Subsequently, Exeter joined the Russell Group, reached top ten in all the league tables and was nominated by the Sunday Times as its ‘University of the Year’. Web traffic went up immediately by 80% and the following year, enrolments grew by over a third. In 2016, half of all AAA+ students shortlisted Exeter.

In 2016, David began to use his marketing skills and higher education experience to deliver marketing consultancy to a wealth of HE clients. In a competitive market, he helps his university clients grow their reputations and achieve greater commercial success through best-in-class marketing. 2017 clients have included Bristol, Lancaster and SOAS, University of London.

Sirin Myles

Consulting Fellow

A highly experienced International Director and specialist in Higher Education.

•  More than 20 years of international marketing and leadership experience in diplomatic and higher education organisations.
• Worked with diverse organisations such as Brunel, Roehampton, the University of the West of Scotland and IDP.

Sirin began her career with the British Council in Istanbul, marketing British education at all levels from nursery to HE. She then moved to the UK to the University of Southampton, becoming a Regional Director and managing the University’s international engagement.

Sirin joined the University of Reading in 2007 as the Deputy Director International Office, with responsibility for international partnerships development, marketing and research. After a year, she was promoted to become International Director assuming leadership for all areas of internationalisation. Under her, the University of Reading redefined and reshaped its internationalisation ambitions and strategy, with fivefold growth in its international tuition fee income, delivery of a comprehensive partnerships strategy (research, teaching and mobility), with measurable growth in its international alumni engagement and enhancement of student and staff mobility. She ended her time at Reading with joint responsibility for all of the University’s Marketing, Communication and Engagement.

Sirin’s voluntary experience included two years as a chair for Europe Community of Practice for Higher Education, convened by the Universities UK International, and a chair and contributor for partnerships training days in the last four years (2014, 2015, 2016, present) for British Universities International Liaison Association.

Dr Andrew West

Consulting Fellow

A higher education specialist with 25 years of unrivalled expertise spanning governance and professional services.

• Former University Secretary at the University of Sheffield.
• Eleven years’ experience leading student-related professional services.
• In demand for advice and consultancy at a wide range of institutions in England, Wales and Scotland.
• Dr West currently holds an appointment as Strategic Adviser to the Association of University Administrators (AUA) and is a Trustee of the Students’ Union of Liverpool Hope University.

As University Secretary at the University of Sheffield, Andrew provided key advice and support to the University’s Council and governance structure, working closely with the University Executive Board.

Before his appointment as University Secretary, Andrew led student-related professional services at the University of Sheffield for eleven years. He had a wide remit covering student recruitment and admissions, academic services including learning and teaching support, registry and student administration, careers and employability, and a broad range of student support and wellbeing services.

Dr West is a former Chair of AMOSSHE – The Student Services Organisation. Other previous appointments include membership of the Executive of IASAS – a global student services organisation; and the HE Advisory Panel for the Office of the Independent Adjudicator. Andrew’s work on student affairs features in professional publications and journals in the UK and overseas, including a forthcoming chapter in UNESCO’s guide to global best practice in HE student affairs.

Ewart Wooldridge CBE

Consulting Fellow

Ewart Wooldridge was the founding Chief Executive from 2003 to 2013 of the Leadership Foundation for Higher Education, set up to play a key role in developing UK and international HE leaders and their institutions. He has a well-established portfolio of consultancy, advisory and governance roles in the HE sector.

He was previously Chief Executive of the Civil Service College, and a Chief Officer in Local Government. Before that he worked in HR and general management roles in the media, television, and the arts. He was Director of Operations at London’s South Bank Arts Centre in the mid-1990s.

His project and consultancy assignments in HE include facilitating senior teams, coaching, and working with university leadership teams on strategy development and the management of change. He is licensed to administer a variety of leadership behaviour tools, including delivering 360-degree feedback. He is a consultant to the National Union of Students offering coaching to Chief Executives of Students’ Unions.

He has strong experience in governance development, having devised the Leadership Foundation Governor Development Programme jointly with the CUC, and designed and run the highly successful VC/Chair retreats for the LF. He has been Deputy Chair of Council at the Institute of Education, London, a member of the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales and is now on the Council of St Georges University of London and Chair of their Remuneration Committee.

Ewart was awarded the CBE for services to leadership in the Queen’s Birthday Honours 2004. He was awarded an Honorary Fellowship by Cardiff University in 2012 and received an Honorary Doctorate from the Open University in 2014.

He is a major contributor to a book published in 2019 on ‘Strategic Leadership of Change in Higher Education’. He is joint author (with Dame Madeleine Atkins) of an Advance HE Report also published in 2019 entitled “Agility & Resilience: Meeting the Strategic Leadership Challenges in HE”.

Dr Vicky Lewis

Consulting Fellow

A highly regarded HE consultant with particular expertise in international strategy development.

• Senior HE leadership experience, including expertise in developing internationalisation strategies at different stages of institutional maturity.
• In-depth understanding of international marketing, communications and student recruitment practices.
• Application of insights developed from academic research into HE management, with a particular focus on values-led, fully integrated internationalisation.
• Personal attributes including incisive thinking, willingness to listen and learn, translation of strategy into tangible actions, and the ability to engage and motivate a wide range of stakeholders.

Vicky has 20 years’ experience in the UK HE sector, starting off at what is now University of Wales Trinity St David, then Edinburgh Napier University, before settling in southern England (Bournemouth University) in 2000.

Internationalisation has been a constant thread in her roles which have ranged from establishing an International Office from scratch to leading an 80-person Marketing & Communications Directorate at Bournemouth University. She has 13 years’ experience operating at University Leadership Team level and leading organisation-wide initiatives. Vicky has direct experience of engaging with students, partner organisations and other stakeholders in South East Asia, South Asia, East Asia, North America, Africa and Europe.

Alongside her work, Vicky completed a Doctorate of Business Administration in higher education management at the University of Bath. Her thesis (2007) examined motivations, strategies, and approaches to internationalisation at UK HEIs.

Since moving into consultancy in 2013 she has undertaken numerous projects for UK and international clients including advising a Russell Group university on the marketing strategy and operations for its new overseas campus; presenting options for establishing an overseas office; identifying markets ripe for transnational education pathways; as well as developing and reviewing international strategies and advising on associated delivery structures.

Angela Pedder DBE

Advisory Group

Dame Angela Pedder is a member of the Halpin Advisory Group, and also Vice Chair of Governors at Exeter Royal Academy for Deaf Education. She is an experienced senior NHS leader with experience across all sectors of healthcare at national regional and local levels. Angela is a mentor and coach to CEOs and senior executives in newly appointed or significantly challenging roles, and is a system working and system leadership consultant. Angela has a wealth of experience in strategic leadership, partnership working, complex change management, patient safety, corporate and clinical governance and operational performance improvement.

Angela applies her depth of knowledge to work as a coach and mentor to newly appointed Chairs of Boards.

Shakira Martin

Advisory Group & Consulting Fellow

Shakira Martin is outgoing National President of the National Union of Students UK, representing 7 million students across Further and Higher Education, most recently successful leading on an organisational turnaround strategy.

She is known for pioneering NUS's Poverty Commission, shining a light on the barriers still facing working class people accessing FE and HE. She is one of only a handful of people to hold the post from an FE background, and the first black woman to have held the role in NUS's 96 year history.

A proud alumni of Lewisham Southwark College, Shakira was undertaking a teaching qualification when she began her career in student politics. She was the Student President at her college and quickly made her mark on the national scene. She was elected the Vice President Further Education at NUS in 2015 and represented FE students in this role for two years prior to Heflin President.

Shakira's campaigning credentials are well established with major wins under her belt on student representation, funding, and access. She makes regular local and national media appearances and is passionate about equality in education in terms of access and outcomes. As President she coined the phrase, "it's not just about getting in, it's about getting on".

Ailsa McGregor

Consulting Fellow

A senior HR and project manager with more than 20 years’ experience across the private and public sectors. She is a leader in HR strategy, data and metrics, and also delivers highly targeted workshops and facilitation to clients. Ailsa uses HR metrics to inform clients of trends and options to enable them to make data-driven decisions within the framework of UK employment law and related legislation. She is also an expert in Equality, Diversity and Inclusion.

• Significant experience of working within and outside HR, which brings the benefits of assessing advice and solutions from a stakeholders’ perspective.
• A wide range of senior technical HR skills; data analysis, transformation projects, equality and inclusion, aligning core competencies with business needs, change management expertise, workforce planning, performance management and pragmatic people advice as well as successful implementation of non-bureaucratic HR systems and processes that support business success.
• Ailsa joined Halpin from the University of Exeter, where she was Assistant Director of HR. Since leaving the University in 2015, Ailsa launched a highly successful consultancy service providing strategic specialist advice and delivering transformation projects, change management projects, equality projects and international projects in Australia.
• Led commercially focused projects, gaining considerable project management experience including building organisational capabilities, coordinating partnership arrangements, and demergers.
• Part of the Halpin team which conducted an Equality, Diversity & Inclusion review of Central School of Speech and Drama.
• Proven results working for blue-chip companies, HE and non-government departmental bodies.
• Extensive experience of managing HR and project teams.
• A Chartered Member of CIPD.
• Data and commercially focused with a track record of identifying and securing external funds, managing large and complex budgets and experience in qualitative and quantitative data analysis.

Fezzan Ahmed

Consulting Fellow

An experienced major gifts fundraiser and project manager with proven results in higher education.

• Extensive major gift fundraising and project management experience in both the Arts & Culture and Higher Education sectors.
• Completed the £5.1m campaign for the Regent Street Cinema at University of Westminster.
• Managed several multi-million-pound change projects for organisations such as HSBC, the University of Westminster and the Battersea Arts Centre.
• Over a decade of diverse experience across the private and voluntary sectors

Fezzan was most recently at the University of Westminster, where he managed a £5.1m major campaign to restore and reopen the historic Regent Street Cinema, including securing funding, partnerships and developing operations. During that time, he also brokered academic/commercial partnerships with organisations such as Bloomberg, Adidas, Kodak and Eurostar.

His career began in the commercial world at HSBC, where he managed multi-million-pound projects around cultural change, process improvement and optimisation of resource. He retains strong links to the private sector. He then moved into the Arts and Culture sector, instigating a £16.3m overall fundraising strategy for Battersea Arts Centre which included a ground-breaking renovation of a Grade 2 listed Town Hall, generating significant income from corporate and individual donors for both capital and revenue targets.

Fezzan is dedicated to social change, sustainability and diversity in the fundraising sector. As a founding member of the BME staff network committee at the University of Westminster, he instigated research into BME Fundraisers in the UK voluntary sector championed by organisations such as the Institute of Fundraisers and the Council for Advancement and Support of Education in Europe.

He received his master’s in Community Organising from Queen Mary University, and studied Molecular Genetics at the University of Sussex.

Bob Rabone

Consulting Fellow

A Chartered Accountant with over 30 years of commercial experience as a Finance Director with private and public companies, operating in a range of sectors. 

For 12 years to July 2017 Bob was the Chief Financial Officer of the University of Sheffield with responsibility for Finance, Estates, IT, Accommodation and Commercial Services.

He began his career training with Coopers & Lybrand (now part of PricewaterhouseCoopers) before joining a medium-sized accountancy firm offering consultancy services in financial planning, funding and information technology to a range of clients: from owner-managed enterprises to public companies.

A common thread through all of Bob’s executive roles has been the development of clear organisational strategies during periods of business growth or change.  Whilst Chief Financial Officer with the international law firm Eversheds, Bob had a primary role in the merger of its seven legal partnerships into one.

Bob was chair of the British University Finance Directors Group from 2013 to 2016 and contributed to several HE sector reviews, such as the Diamond Efficiency, Effectiveness and Value for Money review.  In 2019 Bob was appointed to the Board of the National Centre for Universities and Business as Treasurer.

A focus of his activity in the HE sector has been to aid a better understanding of financial performance and financial sustainability by funders, regulators, governors, staff and students. This focus continues as a member of the sector’s Financial Sustainability Steering Group.

Sara Doherty

Consulting Fellow

An experienced consultant and strategic leader with a proven track record of managing services and people in complex organisations.

• Cross-sector experience of service delivery and process improvement to enhance effectiveness and efficiency.
• A collaborative and pragmatic approach to leadership and focus on a solution-based approach.
• Brings operational knowledge and understanding as well as managing and collaborating at senior team and board level.
• Successfully brings about simplicity through complexity.

Sara has 25 years’ experience teaching in further and in management in higher education holding senior roles in universities representing all mission groups. Her knowledge is grounded in the student experience and with Academic Registrar experience advises on policy, governance and compliance. Since 2015 she has been a consultant working with clients such as GSM London, Goldsmiths, UCLAN, LSHTM and UUK.

Sara is studying for a professional qualification in Coaching & Mentoring and is a trained mediator. She is a fellow of the HEA and a role model for the Leadership Foundation’s women in management Aurora Programme.

Patrick Kennedy

Consulting Fellow

A change-management expert, and a specialist in strategic planning, delivering insight and converting it into action.

• Skilled at identifying vital improvement opportunities for universities.
• Strategic insights and analysis.
• Performance reviews and design of performance indicator systems.
• Creation of change programmes to improve service delivery .

Patrick, formerly Director of Strategic Planning & Change at the University of Exeter, is now in demand as a consultant, working with a range of high-profile clients in UK HE.

With extensive director-level higher education experience, Patrick provides professional consultancy services which focus on the very highest level of quality in change management and strategic planning.

Selena Bolingbroke

Consulting Fellow

A dynamic and sought-after consultant with extensive HE, FE and public sector senior leadership experience.

• 20 years' experience delivering results in both higher and further education, and also local and central government.
• Passionate about employability and enterprise and a champion of skills-led regeneration.
• Formerly Pro Vice-Chancellor at University of East London, where she was responsible for Strategic Planning & External Development.

Selena has worked across higher education, central and local government in roles that have combined her interests in education, enterprise and regeneration. She combines her consultancy portfolio, working with leading management consultancies to deliver results. Alongside Halpin, Selena is an Associate Director of MetaValue, a consultancy practice focused on supporting change and entrepreneurial growth strategies. She also leads on External Engagement and Strategic Development at Goldsmiths, University of London.

Selena is a governor of a school in East London and a non-executive director of Wonkhe – the online home of higher education policy wonks. She is a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and Fellow of the Royal Society for Arts.

Recent consultancy projects Selena has undertaken include: the Society of Chief Librarians (research project to develop a Universal Offer for Culture for Public Libraries), University of Sheffield Students’ Union (review of commercial services and delivery of income growth generation plan), University of Westminster (review of student enterprise provision), Rose Bruford College (review of student recruitment) and Dudley Libraries and Adult Learning (growth strategy, business plan and financial plan to grow income).

Elizabeth Baptiste

Consulting Fellow

A Senior Equality, Diversity and Inclusion specialist with more than 18 years’ experience in the Public Sector

Leadership and Organisational Development Adviser (Continuous Improvement) at University of Westminster.

Councillor for London Borough of Waltham Forest.

An experienced Quality Assurance and Enhancement Professional, (Associate CIPD) with a special interest in Women and Leadership, Learning and Organisation Development, Staff Coaching and Mentoring.

Elizabeth is currently Leadership and Organisational Development Adviser (Continuous Improvement) at the University of Westminster, managing a portfolio of awards and continuous improvement projects, for example the Athena SWAN, Race equality Charter mark trial, Investors in People, Customer First etc. She provides professional advice and advice across the university, in support of the continuous improvement strand of the Organisational and Staff Development Strategy.

Her role involves designing, developing and delivering relevant formal and informal learning interventions in support of the continuous improvement agenda, with a particular emphasis on working with Faculties, and building and maintaining strong relationships between internal teams and external organisations e.g. the Equality Challenge Unit.

Elizabeth is adept at ensuring that all activities adhere to the University’s Equality Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) agenda and relevant legislation.

Sir Drummond Bone

Consulting Fellow

A highly respected leader in higher education known for his thought leadership.

• Master of Balliol College at the University of Oxford until April 2018.
• He previously served as Vice-Chancellor of the University of Liverpool from 2002 to 2008, and Principal of Royal Holloway, University of London, from 2000 to 2002.
• Professor Bone was knighted in the 2008 Birthday Honours for services to Higher Education and the regeneration of the North-West.

Drummond Bone is the recently retired Master of Balliol College, Oxford, and is the Chair of the Arts and Humanities Research Council. Drummond Bone was previously Professor of English Literature at the University of Glasgow, Principal of Royal Holloway, Vice-Chancellor of Liverpool, and President of UUK.

He has been much involved in University Business interactions for the Northern Way and the CBI, wrote an influential report commissioned by the Government on University Internationalisation, and has directed the establishment or reform of University fundraising operations in three of the Universities with which he has been involved.

Professor Graham Megson

Consulting Fellow

A well-known and sought-after and experienced senior leader and consultant in higher education.

• Provost and Acting Vice-Chancellor at University of Westminster, responsible not just for research but also for line management of Faculties and Academic Planning.
• An active academic, having published nine books and over 200 research papers.
• Held senior leadership and academic roles at the University of Newcastle, and the University of Reading where in 2000 he won a Department of Trade and Industry Smart Award for Innovation.
• University of Westminster rose 20 places in the complete university guide reversing a five-year slump during his time a Provost and Acting Vice-Chancellor.

As Provost and Acting Vice-Chancellor at the University of Westminster, Graham has responsibility for all academic planning and performance. His role includes working in partnership with senior management to ensure effective resourcing, management, strategic direction and future success. He supports those in key research and knowledge exchange roles to source funding and leads the ongoing development and promotion of a strong research culture.

Graham has held a range of roles at the University of Westminster including Dean, Provost, PVC and DVC for Research and Innovation.

Graham has been a member of several editorial boards and grant awarding panels, including editor-in-chief for the Journal of Parallel Algorithms and Applications.

Liz Starbuck Greer

Consulting Fellow

A respected consultant who helps business schools achieve their goals through clever programme design, portfolio and market strategy, and business development.

• Previously the Assistant Dean of Professional Graduate Programs for Sauder School of Business, University of British Columbia.
• Held leadership positions at the Said Business School, University of Oxford and The University of Reading
• Broad-ranging experience in higher education marketing, business development and student recruitment, programme design and delivery, student experience enhancement and global partnerships.

While the Assistant Dean of Professional Graduate Programs for Sauder School of Business, Liz was responsible for leadership, strategic planning and executive-level decision making across the School’s graduate portfolio. Liz led teams in Vancouver and Shanghai, and substantially increased revenue and contribution during her tenure.

Prior to that Liz held the post of Director of Marketing and Business Development for Executive Education at the same institution. Here she led the development and implementation of marketing strategy across the business, with a focus on expanding the range of intensive programs for senior leaders. Liz worked closely with faculty and clients to develop engaging new programs that deliver on the School's vision and the business community's needs. She was also responsible for the business development function across open and custom programs, and for learner experience on high level programming.

Sirin Myles

Consulting Fellow

A highly experienced International Director and specialist in Higher Education.

•  More than 20 years of international marketing and leadership experience in diplomatic and higher education organisations.
• Worked with diverse organisations such as Brunel, Roehampton, the University of the West of Scotland and IDP.

Sirin began her career with the British Council in Istanbul, marketing British education at all levels from nursery to HE. She then moved to the UK to the University of Southampton, becoming a Regional Director and managing the University’s international engagement.

Sirin joined the University of Reading in 2007 as the Deputy Director International Office, with responsibility for international partnerships development, marketing and research. After a year, she was promoted to become International Director assuming leadership for all areas of internationalisation. Under her, the University of Reading redefined and reshaped its internationalisation ambitions and strategy, with fivefold growth in its international tuition fee income, delivery of a comprehensive partnerships strategy (research, teaching and mobility), with measurable growth in its international alumni engagement and enhancement of student and staff mobility. She ended her time at Reading with joint responsibility for all of the University’s Marketing, Communication and Engagement.

Sirin’s voluntary experience included two years as a chair for Europe Community of Practice for Higher Education, convened by the Universities UK International, and a chair and contributor for partnerships training days in the last four years (2014, 2015, 2016, present) for British Universities International Liaison Association.

Colin Robbins

Consulting Fellow

A background in the private and HE sectors, with proven leadership and motivational skills and high standards.

• An enthusiastic team player who believes in focused objectives and rewarding success.
• A confident decision maker able to rapidly evaluate and prioritise information. Adaptable and committed. Excellent communication skills encouraging positive interaction with both superiors and staff.   
• A determined problem solver.

Colin holds the position of Director of Estates and Facilities at Reading University. Here, he strategically leads a team of 800+ staff through the delivery of over £600m of capital projects, including a major campus development overseas. He has also overseen the disposal of over £150m of assets, bringing capital funding into the University to supports its ambitious development programme. Colin was also responsible for turning around a failing in-house catering service, which now delivers a significant positive financial contribution to the University each year.

Having qualified as a Chartered Surveyor in 1982, Colin’s quantity surveying career developed in a professional office for the first decade. On appointment as a Fellow of the RICS in 1993 his career progressed and broadened into wider Project Management and Estate Management roles, with spells in three client organisations. This included Head of Property at UCL and, following a brief 4-year spell as MD of the company in which he had first trained, returning to the HE sector for over 12 years.

Colin has excellent insight into the many challenges and opportunities that exist in our Universities. He fully understands the need for rapidly changing, dynamic structures while considering and respecting many decades of tradition.

Dr Andrew West

Consulting Fellow

A higher education specialist with 25 years of unrivalled expertise spanning governance and professional services.

• Former University Secretary at the University of Sheffield.
• Eleven years’ experience leading student-related professional services.
• In demand for advice and consultancy at a wide range of institutions in England, Wales and Scotland.
• Dr West currently holds an appointment as Strategic Adviser to the Association of University Administrators (AUA) and is a Trustee of the Students’ Union of Liverpool Hope University.

As University Secretary at the University of Sheffield, Andrew provided key advice and support to the University’s Council and governance structure, working closely with the University Executive Board.

Before his appointment as University Secretary, Andrew led student-related professional services at the University of Sheffield for eleven years. He had a wide remit covering student recruitment and admissions, academic services including learning and teaching support, registry and student administration, careers and employability, and a broad range of student support and wellbeing services.

Dr West is a former Chair of AMOSSHE – The Student Services Organisation. Other previous appointments include membership of the Executive of IASAS – a global student services organisation; and the HE Advisory Panel for the Office of the Independent Adjudicator. Andrew’s work on student affairs features in professional publications and journals in the UK and overseas, including a forthcoming chapter in UNESCO’s guide to global best practice in HE student affairs.

Will Spinks

Consulting Fellow

A senior-level leader in higher education, having held the post of Registrar, Secretary and Chief Operating Officer at University of Manchester. After retiring from his full-time post in September 2017, Will is now Associate Vice President acting as an advisor to the Senior Leadership Team. His expertise stretches to the commercial world too, having held numerous senior posts at the research-based biopharmaceutical organisation AstraZeneca.

• Will joined the University of Manchester as Registrar, Secretary and Chief Operating Officer in June 2011. After retiring from his full-time post in September 2017, he was appointed as an Associate Vice President acting as an advisor to the Senior Leadership Team.
• He is a Non-Executive Director of one of the UK's largest pension funds and acts as a Trustee Director and Chair of a number of local charities. He is a graduate of the Common Purpose 20:20 Leadership Development Programme.
• Prior to joining Manchester, Will was the first Chief Operating Officer of Loughborough University. In this role he was responsible for all the service functions and the commercial activities of the University. In addition, he chaired and served on the Board of wholly owned subsidiary companies and the Manufacturing Technology Centre.
• Before moving into the HE sector, Will pursued a career in ICI, Zeneca and AstraZeneca, working in a number of businesses and functions in both the UK and USA. This culminated in him establishing a Business Services organisation providing HR, Finance, Purchasing, Communications, SHE, Facilities Management and Site Services to all AstraZeneca's UK sites. In this role, he had line management accountability for over 1,300 people.
• From 2001-2007, he also acted as Site Manager at AstraZeneca's largest R&D site globally, Alderley Park.