UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Director of Public Affairs and Communication
Job Titles:
- Director of Alumni Relations
Christine Fairchild, Director of Alumni Relations reported on findings from a qualitative survey comparing Alumni Relations programmes across competitor institutions. This provided insights into how other universities (especially those in the US) structure their activities and measure their alumni engagement.
Job Titles:
- Director of Alumni Relations
Job Titles:
- Vice Chancellor, Professor
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board
- Is Director of Enterprise
Lennart is Director of Enterprise and Advancement at Zeppelin University, Lake Constance, and Managing Director of Zeppelin University's Leadership Excellence Institute. Before his current position, he held a variety of managerial responsibilities in academia, focusing on technology transfer, entrepreneurship, development, and international strategy. Lennart started his career in the industry before taking up his D.Phil. in Modern Languages at Oxford (St. John's) in 2004. He lives in Überlingen, Germany, with his wife and daughter.
Dr Mike Glover, Director of Planning and Council Secretariat made a presentation to the Board on the University's 2018-2023 Strategic Plan and its specific priorities. Dr Glover explained the process for preparing and gathering input on the Plan through internal consultation. The Board requested and highlighted the need for earlier consultation with the Board in future so that proper consideration could be given to the alumni perspective. Dr Glover reviewed each of the Plan's priorities and the Board noted that a number of them could be enhanced by alumni support (in particular the sourcing of paid internships for students). It was agreed that a matrix detailing each of the priorities mapped to potential alumni input would be developed and circulated so that Board members might comment and volunteer to contribute via working groups where possible. Overall, the Board felt there should be clearer calls to action for alumni to contribute to the University's longterm health and development.
Robert Easton, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Development and External Affairs provided a brief update on recent developments including financial pressures currently being faced by the University and the announcement of two new access schemes designed to increase the percentage of applicants from disadvantaged backgrounds who would not normally think to apply.
Job Titles:
- Data and Insights Manager
Board member Jackie Ranawake (St Peter's 1988) reported on the outcomes of a Board Working Group to look at the alumni lifecycle through the lens of some archetypal alumni profiles. The next step with the project is to expand on the exercise and in particular, identify the milestones in the lifecycle to better understand where the University might offer relevant resources, programmes and communications.
Job Titles:
- Director of Public Affairs Directorate
Job Titles:
- Marketing and Communications Manager ( Pt Monday - Thursday )
Job Titles:
- New Alumni Engagement Manager ( Pt Monday, Wednesday, Thursday )
Job Titles:
- Chief Development Officer for the University
Laura read History of Art at St Catherine's before establishing a career in External Affairs and Alumni Relations. She has worked in the private and higher education sectors, creating strategies and delivering campaigns to engage alumni across the globe.
She has previously acted as Regional Secretary for the Thames Valley Region of the Institute for Development Professionals in Education, and presented at the Chartered Association of Business Schools Professional Managers' Annual Conference.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board
- Provost
David Isaac CBE is the Provost at Worcester College, Oxford and Chair of the Governors of University of the Arts London.
Throughout his career David has also been involved in many activities in the arts, human rights and education. He is the former Chair of the Equalities and Human Rights Commission of Great Britain, of Stonewall and of Modern Art Oxford. He was also a director of the Diana Princess of Wales Memorial Fund, the Human Dignity Trust, the Big Lottery and 14-18 NOW.
For many years he was a partner in Pinsent Masons LLP, where he held a number of senior positions. He was awarded a CBE in the 2011 Queen's Birthday Honours list for services to equality and diversity.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board
- President of Oxford10
Geoffrey read Engineering Science at Lincoln College before building his career in management consulting and tech. As a management consultant, he focused on helping clients in designing and developing capabilities in improving customer and colleague experience. Currently, he is the Head of Product in a tech start-up. Outside of work, Geoffrey is a food and wine enthusiast, where he is a trained chef and a certified wine taster.
Geoffrey is the current President of Oxford10, the official society for recent alumni of Oxford University. He is passionate about engaging and building the community for young alumni.
Job Titles:
- Chairman of the Board
- Appointed Treasurer
John is a Managing Director at J P Morgan Private Bank, managing the UK domestic business focused on entrepreneurs, families and foundations. He has extensive experience in investment banking and private banking having worked previously at Goldman Sachs and Barclays in London, Milan and Paris. John holds an MA in Modern History and Modern Languages from Oxford and served as the Chair of the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama and a Lay Governor of the University of South Wales from 2017 until 2023. He lives in Oxfordshire with his husband and two children and spent three years as a fine wine merchant and hence is a keen oenophile.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board
- Director of Careers Service
Jonathan has been director of the University of Oxford Careers Service since 2008. Prior to this he held a number of senior commercial roles at Booz & Co, Harcourt Brace, and Times Mirror and was co-founder of an internet start-up successfully sold to Elsevier. Jonathan is a Professorial Fellow and Tutor for Welfare at New College, is Chair of Oxford Hub, and writes the regular ‘Dear Jonathan' careers column in the Financial Times.
Luís' career in marketing spans London and Sydney and includes roles at Facebook, Essence (WPP), and Universal Music. In London he works with clients including Google, advising on their global marketing and paid media strategies. In Sydney, he oversaw recording artists' marketing campaigns and led partnerships between Universal Music, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Sydney Opera House, and leading Australian media outlets. Luís brings expertise in brand marketing, digital advertising, and consultancy to the board's mission.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board
- Founding Partner of BlueRibbon Partners
Marco is Founding Partner of BlueRibbon Partners, a company builder focusing on the (digital) life sciences. He is a multiple entrepreneur, investor and advisor with a track record in tech, digital media and impact investing. Prior to this he worked in investment banking and management consulting. He holds an M.A. in Physics and Philosophy of the University of Oxford. In his spare time he enjoys life music, reading and running the family vineyard.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board
- Tech Executive
Mark is a tech executive passionate about human-centred digital transformation. He is Vice-President of Kumo.AI, a California-based deep learning venture backed by Sequoia. Before that, he served as Slovenia's first-ever minister for digitalisation. During Slovenia's EU presidency, he led negotiations on the Digital Services Act (DSA) and other European tech regulations. Prior to entering public office, he headed Uber's public policy in Central & Eastern Europe. He is a Young Global Leader at the World Economic Forum and serves on the Governing Board of the European Institute of Innovation & Technology (EIT). In July 2022, Ukraine's President Zelenskyy awarded him the Peace Prize for his efforts to strengthen Ukraine's digital resilience. He received a Master's in public policy from the University of Oxford and a law degree from the University of Ljubljana. In his spare time, he enjoys reading history books, learning about AI, and training for the marathon.
Michael is an educator and entrepreneur from Hong Kong, China, who graduated from Oxford with an MSc degree in Global Health Science. He is a member of Kellogg College. After spending memorable years working at Oxford University Press, Michael founded and now directs his own enterprise, Oxonia Company. He also holds academic and professional appointments as a Teaching Fellow at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Lecturer at Hong Kong Baptist University, and Board Member (Hong Kong) of the Chartered Management Institute (CMI). Over the past decade, Michael has actively volunteered for the University as well as alumni-led organisations. He was President of The Oxford and Cambridge Society of Hong Kong, and a member of the Oxbridge Alumni Wuhan Aid Group during the COVID-19 pandemic, among others. As an enthusiastic equestrian, Michael enjoys horse riding and used to play on the Oxford University Polo Team when he was a student.
Paula has spent her career at the forefront of technology, building companies from zero to late-stage growth in Robotics, the Internet of Things (IoT), and most recently Information Security. She is currently Chief Marketing Officer for Incognia. She is an active member of the Oxford entrepreneurial community, and is co-founder and fund manager of the Oxford Angel Fund. Paula completed a B.A. Engineering at St Edmund Hall, and an MS in Robotics at U.C. Berkeley.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board
- Head of Development and Alumni Relations, Green Templeton College
Ceri has been Head of Development and Alumni Relations at Green Templeton College since November 2018. Prior to this she worked at Oxford Brookes University for 32 years, the last three years as Deputy Director for External Relations. One of the responsibilities of this role was to deliver an alumni relations programme to 125,000 alumni, which included the launch of a successful mentoring programme. Since joining Green Templeton College the focus has been to increase the level of engagement from alumni through communications and events. She has successfully delivered two Giving Days and is currently working on a regular giving and legacy programmes for the college. In a voluntary capacity Ceri is a Committee member for OURFC, a trustee of the Oxford Cultural Collective, served as a trustee of Oxford United in the Community from 2017 -2019, and in a moment of madness ran the London Marathon for the Save the Children Fund.
Chantal is an AI innovator, entrepreneur, and pioneer. She is the Founder & President of CornerstoneX, an AI innovation lab that has invented two AI platforms: BiasFinderAI and EVA.X. She is currently seeking multiple patents for her technology and AI innovations. Under her leadership, CornerstoneX has successfully closed its first fund round, achieving a $50M valuation, with its technology set to be deployed across Walmart, America's #1 retailer, in early 2024. Chantal is currently conductingn
her PhD research in the Human Dimensions of Science and Technology at ASU, focusing on responsible AI innovation.
She is the daughter of Sri Lankan parents who fled a 30-year civil war to give their family a chance at safety and success. She was born in Toronto, and is currently residing in West Palm Beach, Florida.
Hannah's work combines luxury events and hospitality with strategic planning and execution. Her career spans McKinsey, Buckingham Palace, and launching new products and programs for Insight Partners, a multi-billion dollar VC fund. Hannah is a Board Member and advisor to multiple charities and professional networks in the UK and USA. She read French and Russian, led the Commemoration Ball, met her husband and got married at Magdalen College.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board
- Director of Development at Keble
- Director of Development, Keble College
Jenny was appointed Director of Development at Keble in 2009. She has an MA in Geography from Oxford University (Keble College 1986-1989) and is a triple Blue. Over the past thirteen years she has managed the Alumni and Development Office at Keble towards the culmination of the 150 th Anniversary Campaign in 2020; developing the programmes for alumni relations, annual and legacy giving, and generating major gifts for The H B Allen Centre - the College's graduate and research centre which opened in 2019. Other voluntary roles in Oxford include Committee Member and Vice-Chair of OURFC 2017 - 2021 and Board Member of the Inklings Group which facilitated the re-opening of the Lamb & Flag. She had previously worked at The Cheltenham Ladies' College for 16 years, as the Director of the Extra Curricular Programme and then as the Director of Development, successfully completing a major capital project for a Performing Arts Centre in 2008 and developing the alumnae relations programme.
Job Titles:
- Deputy Chair of the Board
Judith graduated in Mathematics from LMH and has broad financial and commercial experience from a variety of leadership roles.
She qualified as an accountant with Price Waterhouse (now PwC) in London and subsequently pursued a career in Finance with HSBC UK where she was Group Chief Accountant and subsequently Group Financial Controller. She spent over 15 years working in the insurance industry, working at AXA PPP healthcare where she was Risk and Compliance Director and subsequently Strategic Development and Change Director, responsible for leading change programmes and corporate acquisition and disposal activity. In addition to her commercial roles at AXA, Judith was mentor to the graduate scheme.
Judith main interests are in music, theatre and education. She is a governor of a Kent grammar school, director of a Kent theatre and trustee of an Oxfordshire opera festival.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board
- Associate Director Principal Gifts ( Europe )
Nathalie has held executive management positions in non-profit organizations for two decades, of which over 15 years as a specialist in higher education fundraising at prestigious institutions in Europe. In October 2022, Nathalie Fontana re-joined the University of Oxford's Development Office as 'Associate Director Principal Gifts (Europe)'. In this role, she will establish the first Europe-based office and will be dividing her time between Zurich and Berlin. Her primary area of focus will be on developing and expanding Oxford's European major donor programmes, with an initial concentration on Switzerland and Germany.
Nathalie worked for the Development Office from 2013-2017, first as Head of Student Support and then as Head of Principal Gifts. Other stops in her career include leadership positions at the European School of Management and Technology (ESMT Berlin),] Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) and the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETHZ). Nathalie has been a volunteer with CASE (Council of Advancement and Support in Education, case.org) for many years, is a Board member of the Swiss-American Society (swiss-am.net), a member of the Swiss Friends of Oxford University (oxfordfriends.ch) and a regular speaker at higher education advancement conferences worldwide. Nathalie holds degrees in business, arts management and non-profit management and fundraising.
Sarah is a strategic content and communications leader at Amazon Web Services. Her previous experience includes roles at London Business School and Tesco. She was a national business and news journalist for The Guardian and The Observer. Since leaving Somerville, where she read modern history and edited Cherwell, the student newspaper, she has been involved in alumni communications and relations, including as a long-standing committee member of the Somerville London Group, and former editor of the college alumni news. Sarah is based in London with her family.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board
- St Catherine 's College
Vanshica is a Schwarzman Scholar on Leadership & Global Affairs at Tsinghua University, China. A Global Shaper with the World Economic Forum, she has worked with the United Nations Resident Coordinator's Office in India. She holds a Bachelor's in History Honours from St. Stephen's College, University of Delhi, and read a Master's in Global and Imperial History from the University of Oxford on full scholarship. Her area of specialisation lies at the intersection of history, society, and technology. She serves in advisory positions across multiple organizations, including the World Economic Forum Global Shapers Covid Steering Committee, the Confederation of Indian Industries' Young Indians Leadership Council, and the Oxford & Cambridge Society of India Executive Committee.
She has been selected to represent her country at several global congregations including Summer Davos in Dalian, China and the G8 & G20 Youth Summit in Washington DC, USA. She writes for various platforms including the World Economic Forum Agenda Blog and Financial Express. She enjoys all things culinary, interacting with individuals over great conversation and discovering lesser explored lands.
Board Chair Nick Segal welcomed Board members to the meeting and invited the 5 new Board members in attendance to introduce themselves and provide a brief overview of their backgrounds. Nick Segal expressed the Board's thanks for the new members' commitment to alumni relations and excitement at their joining the Board.
Alumni Board Chairman Nick Segal hosted the June Board meeting in the Weston Library at Oxford. Board business included a review of progress made in raising the profile of the Board amongst alumni and an update on the nominations received to fill the open seats on the Board. As of the meeting, 65 nominations had been received to fill 6 open alumni seats. Applicants hailed from North America, Asia, Africa Europe, the Middle East Australasia and, of course, the UK. The process of winnowing down the list of impressive applications will be completed over the summer with new Board members primed to join the Board at their September meeting.
Alumni Board Chairman Nick Segal hosted the January Board meeting at Freshfields in London. Dr Robert Easton, the recently arrived Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Development and External Affairs, provided the Board with an overview of his career trajectory along with his perceptions of the University and the Portfolio he oversees (Development, Alumni Relations, Public Affairs and International Strategy). Dr Easton was forthcoming about both the challenges and opportunities currently facing the University and the unique role that alumni can play in supporting the wider University.
Prof David Gann, Oxford's Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Development and External Affairs opened the meeting with his invaluable update on recent activities across the University. In particular, he touched on the University's ongoing response to managing through the COVID crisis, contributions to the upcoming COP26 conference and the current state of the development strategy. The session ended with a robust Q & A between Board members and Prof Gann, in which he added further clarity about how the Board might be able to support various activities. The Director of Alumni Relations then presented the 2021/22 KPIs for the Alumni Office and again, discussion was had about the ways in which the Board might support the delivery of these. That discussion led seamlessly into a presentation by the Alumni Board Chair that focused specifically on how the Board has developed over the last year and its objectives around supporting alumni engagement and alumni networks. There was a call for more specificity around how Board members can contribute to specific initiatives and a desire for real clarity around Board roles and expectations. The Board divided themselves into three discussion groups in which they addressed whether they felt the Board (and the alumni community) should have a mission statement, how to improve the perceived and actual effectiveness of the Board and how to increase its engagement across the University. Finally, the meeting concluded with a discussion of how the Alumni Office is funded, where the Board's funds come into play and how best to reset the perception that the Alumni Office is a cost centre rather than an integral part of ensuring the long-term health of the University.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board
- Deputy Vice - Chancellor Research & Enterprise at the University of Canberra
Lucy is the Deputy Vice-Chancellor Research & Enterprise at the University of Canberra, Australia having previously held positions at the Murdoch University, the University of Newcastle and the University of Canterbury, New Zealand. In 2004, she was a Distinguished Visiting Professor at the University of Connecticut. Lucy completed her BA (Hons) in Experimental Psychology at Oxford and her PhD in Social Psychology at the University of Bristol and also has a Masters in sport psychology. She is an internationally recognised experimental social psychologist, whose research focuses on the non-verbal behaviour of individuals in social interactions. She has also undertaken research on various aspects of tertiary education.
Awarded Oxford Blues and Colours at the University of Bristol for basketball, she also played for the British Universities.
Job Titles:
- Principal Consultant at Forrester Research
Richard Sheahan, Principal Consultant at Forrester Research was then invited to update the Board on the Alumni Journey Mapping project currently underway. Forrester has been working with the Alumni Office to train alumni volunteers to conduct phone interviews with a random selection of alumni to understand better how they perceive their relationship with the University in all its different aspects. The results of this exercise will lead to a more comprehensive understanding of how alumni relate to the wider University throughout their lives: the strengths and weaknesses and opportunities for enhancements. The Board discussed concerns around the size of the sample (will it be representative), the length of time it is taking to move the project along and how the findings will be operationalised.
Job Titles:
- Digital Content Assistant ( Pt Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday )