Executive
The Vice-Chancellor leads the organisation, acting under explicit delegations and answers to the Chair and the Board of Governors. With the Executive Team, the Vice-Chancellor develops the strategic approach for the university.
The Executive Team ensure delivery of the University’s mission and individually carry out specific responsibilities determined by the Vice-Chancellor.
Professor Michael Driscoll, BA CCIM FRSA
Vice-Chancellor
Born and brought up in Warrington, Michael Driscoll attended Trent Polytechnic (now Nottingham Trent University) to study for a BA in Economics. After four years at Sheffield University in research posts, he was appointed as a lecturer in Economics at Birmingham University in 1977, where he remained until joining Middlesex Polytechnic as Professor of Economics and Head of School of Economics in 1989. During his time at Birmingham, he spent three years on secondments at the Organisation for Economic Co-operation & Development in Paris.
Professor Driscoll was appointed Dean of Middlesex University Business School in 1991, Pro Vice-Chancellor in 1993 and Deputy Vice-Chancellor in 1995. In connection with his role as Vice-Chancellor, Professor Driscoll is on the Board of Universities UK, he has chaired the Universities UK Strategy Group on Sustainable Development, been a member of the IT Strategy Group and is a member of the Longer Term Strategy Group. He is a member of the London Higher Steering Committee which represents all of the 41 HEIs in London and Chairs the National Higher and Further Education 2012 Steering Group.
Melvyn Keen MA Oxon FCA
Deputy Chief Executive
Melvyn Keen joined Middlesex University in September 2001. He has an engineering degree from Oxford and is a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants.
After qualifying as a chartered accountant he became a consultant with Accenture and Price Waterhouse Coopers where his work for a range of blue chip organisations included the implementation of financial systems, change management programmes and business process reviews. He has also held senior financial roles in industry and professional practice and was interim Finance Director at Cambridge University before joining Middlesex.
As well as his oversight of financial strategy, Melvyn is Deputy Chief Executive and has responsibility for Business Development, Fundraising, Corporate Engagement and Work Based Learning and for the Centre for Academic Partnerships, which manages and develops relationships in the UK and internationally.
Melvyn has Executive responsibility for international campuses and the Institute for Work Based Learning.
Professor Waqar Ahmad, BA PhD
Deputy Vice-Chancellor Academic
Waqar Ahmad’s portfolio covers research and academic strategy, the management of the University's academic Schools, as well as business and knowledge transfer. In addition he acts as the champion for equal opportunities and ethics across the University.
Waqar’s previous academic career was at Leeds (Professor and Director of the Centre for Research in Primary Care), Bradford and York universities. For three years, he was the Chief Social Scientist in the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM), where he launched the ODPM/ESRC Fellowship and Studentship Scheme and the ODPM Research Networks; this model of research partnership between Whitehall and the ESRC has since been emulated by several government departments.
Waqar has served on the ESRC Strategic Research Board, been chair (e.g. RCUK New Dynamics of Ageing), member of numerous ESRC research programmes, NHS R&D committees, and the Disability and Social Care Committee of the Joseph Rowntree Foundation. He chairs the Ethnicity committee of the ESRC funded English Household Longitudinal Survey (EHLS), and serves on the EHLS’ Scientific Advisory Committee and on the MRC’s National Prevention Initiative. Waqar’s personal research has been funded by, among others, RCUK, NHS R&D, the JRF, BHF, Cancer Research Campaign and the Department of Health.
Professor Ahmad is a major contributor to literature in sociology of health and social policy, with outputs published in leading journals (Sociology, Sociology of Health and Illness, Social Science and Medicine, the Lancet), and highly cited books (‘Race’ and Health in Contemporary Britain). He serves on the editorial boards of Sociology of Health and Illness, Critical Public Health and Health and Social Care in the Community. His latest book (with Hannah Bradby), Ethnicity, Health and Health Care, was published by Blackwell Publishing (2008). Waqar is currently working on an edited book on Muslims, ‘Britishness’ and Citizenship (working title) and a study of British Muslim elite.
Steve Knight MA FCIPD FCMI
Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Director of Corporate Services
Steve Knight joined Middlesex University in June 2005 following a career in the Royal Air Force and the Ministry of Defence, during which time he had responsibility for the introduction of a number of corporate change management initiatives in the personnel and housing areas. He also had responsibility for the delivery of a wide range of corporate services on multiple sites in both the United Kingdom and overseas.
Steve is responsible for the development and implementation of the professional support services strategies for the University. He is responsible for steering the Estate Development Strategy and for the management of all major university infrastructure projects, including the major transformation and consolidation at the Hendon campus. He has overall responsibility for the Human Resource Strategy and for the planning of organisational development initiatives.
He leads the efficiency, change management and business process initiatives within the University. This includes the introduction of new models for the delivery of corporate services, such as the increased use of technology, new customer service delivery models and the introduction of new ways of digital working for all staff. He also leads on the use of outsourced and offshored delivery models, including the planning/delivery of a customer support/back-office processing centre In Southern India.
Steve is responsible for the effective delivery of corporate services within Middlesex University, including Academic Registry services, Estates and Facilities Management services (including Project Management services), Human Resource services, Computing and Communications Systems services, Library and Student Support services and the Academic Quality Unit. He is also responsible for the office of the Clerk to the Board of Governors and is the Executive lead on value for money within the University.
Katie Bell BSc
Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Global Marketing and Recruitment
Katie joined Middlesex University in 2009 following a career in brand marketing for Nestle UK and GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare, most recently as Vice-President of Global Digital Marketing at GlaxoSmithKline. Katie has also been the Director of the European University Business School in Barcelona, Spain.
Katie is responsible for admissions, global marketing and corporate communications, including all student recruitment. Katie also has responsibility for the University's network of international offices and is Executive lead on the student experience and employability.
Peter Vermeulen
Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Finance
Peter joined Middlesex in 2008 as Deputy Director of Finance, before becoming Director of Finance in February 2012. He has overall responsibility for the financial viability and strategy of the University and its impact on the core business of teaching, research and enterprise. He is also responsible for all the global financial operations.
Peter is also active in the charity and not-for-profit sector and is the Deputy Chair of Trustees to an east London educational charity; as well as Director of a not-for-profit educational supplies business.
Peter started his career in Audit & Assurance with PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC). Subsequently he worked in prime brokerage for Deutsche Bank and Merrill Lynch, before joining the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London.
