Our current Governors have all made notable contributions to business, academic and public life. They contribute their professional, specialist and general management skills to drive the development of the University. Members of the Board bring an independent view to their work so they can hold the Executive to account.
Meet the inspiring individuals who volunteer their time and expertise to Middlesex.
| Rebecca is currently the Chief Executive of the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) and brings a wealth of finance, technical and HR experience to role and will support the University in taking its Strategy 2031 forward. Rebecca is committed to co-leadership with staff and students. The hybrid working models at the CPS were co-designed by staff and managers and she brings this collaborative approach to her role at Middlesex. |
Liz was Vice Chancellor and Chief Executive at Staffordshire from 2016 to 2022, having previously been Deputy Vice Chancellor at Sheffield Hallam University and Derby University, following a long career at Teesside University.
With a commitment to universities playing their role in the community, and supporting opportunities and initiatives to improve the life chances of our young people, Liz is a member of five Multi-Academy Trusts including one in London.
Liz was appointed to the Order of the British Empire with a CBE (Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire) in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list in 2019 for services to higher education. In 2020, Liz became a Deputy Lieutenant of Staffordshire.
Nic Beech is Vice-Chancellor of Middlesex University having previously been a Vice-Principal of the University of St Andrews and Provost of Dundee University. He is President of the British Academy of Management, hon. Treasurer of the Academy of Social Sciences, Chair of the UK Standing Committee for Quality Assessment, Chair of AccessHE and a board member of the QAA and the Chartered Management Institute Race Equity board. His research focuses on identity, diversity, change leadership and learning and in addition to numerous journal articles he has published eight books, the latest of which is Impact in Business and Management Research (with R. MacIntosh, K. Mason and J. Bartunek, 2021, Routledge). He is leading the UK-wide taskforce on reducing drug supply, demand and harm in universities and is a member of the Ministerial working group on spiking. Nic has held visiting chairs in the UK, Europe and Australia and has been awarded fellowships or companionships of the British Academy of Management, the Academy of Social Sciences, the Royal Society of Arts, the Chartered Management Institute, the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development and the Australia and New Zealand Academy of Management.
Simon Darling is the Managing Director of digital transformation consultancy, Jack & Anna. Clients include multinationals and startups within FMCG, telecoms, financial services, retail and healthcare sectors in both turnaround and high growth situations and PLC and private equity environments.
Simon started his career in Finance at Unilever. He has been Marketing Director at eBay, VP Marketing at Skype and Chief Commercial Officer at Trainline. He has founded two startups, one of which, Fonepark, was acquired by an AOL-backed company. He has a First in Economics from Cambridge University and is a prize winner and Passed Finalist with CIMA.
Chris Fenton, after an early international career in chemicals, has focused on infrastructure and services. Most recently Chris was Chief Executive of the Rail Safety and Standards Board after senior management roles at Amey, Tube Lines and BSI and a non-executive director at the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority.
In education and skills he is currently on the Boards of City and Guilds Group and at JTL, a major apprenticeships provider. He was previously chairman of the National Skills Academy for Rail.
David started his career at the University of Southampton where he was a Students' Union sabbatical officer, before moving over to the University to establish their Student Communications function. He now works at Middlesex University as their Head of Student Engagement and Advocacy leading on their efforts to engage both current students and alumni.
He is a passionate advocate of the student voice and in 2012 he founded the Student Publication Association, which supports student journalists across the UK and Ireland. He believes strongly in universities working together to support student engagement efforts, and so co-chairs the CASE Student Communications conference, leads the AUA’s Student Experience and Engagement Network and represents Pearson as their Academic Lead for Student Experience.
He is currently undertaking a PhD at the University of York on the topic of student belonging.
Nabeel Goheer, PhD, is PATH’s Chief of Asia, Middle East, Europe (AMEE) Region. He is responsible for providing strategic leadership and guidance and overseeing program activities in the regional hubs in South Asia, South East Asia, Eastern Europe, Central Asia, China, and Western Europe, as well as PATH’s other projects in the region. He also develops and executes strategies to expand and grow the AMEE portfolio into new regions, including the Middle East and additional countries in Asia.
Dr. Goheer is a seasoned leader with near 25 years of professional experience. Before joining PATH, he spent the last ten years assisting and representing the Commonwealth Secretary-General while providing leadership in the areas of strategy, governance, partnerships, portfolio, evaluation, technology, innovation, and digitalization. Before joining the Commonwealth, he worked with the International Labor Organization (ILO) at the United Nations, World Bank, United Nations Development Program, USAID, and the Government of Pakistan.
Dr. Goheer holds a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from the University of Engineering and Technology in Lahore, Pakistan, a Master of Arts in International Development from the International University of Japan, a Master of Philosophy in Technology Policy from Cambridge and MIT, and a PhD in Management from the University of Cambridge. He also holds a Certificate in Macroeconomic Policy and Management from Harvard.
Laura Guittard is currently Vice-President Global Finance Risk Management & Controls at GSK. She oversees the risk management of the enterprise risk ‘Finance Controls & Reporting’ on behalf of the CFO. Laura has a BA in Business Administration from Strathclyde University. She qualified as a Chartered Accountant of Scotland and moved to Paris with KPMG. She then moved to Kraft Foods/Mondelez where she had roles of increasing responsibility and lived in 5 different countries across 3 continents. Laura is a strong advocate of meritocracy and in GSK participates or chairs voluntary groups and provides mentoring for women and those just starting their career. Laura is also a Director of various GSK subsidiaries.
Sagar Joshi is President of Middlesex University Student's Union for the 2022-23 academic year. He came to this university in 2019 and started an international business course and was elected as a President while he was in my second year of his studies. Prior to this he was working as a Support worker for 2.5 years in a Private Mental Health Company. In his role as president of MDXSU he is leading on academic and welfare representation for the students. He is working along with three Vice Presidents as well as students to identify issues and campaign for change, ensuring student voice is at the centre of every decision made. This year his focus will be on helping international students with the fee's instalment plans and easy fees extensions and sponsorships, mental health and wellbeing and LGBTQ+ students' support to get the exposure they need.
Anne is currently Chief Executive of the Chartered Association of Business Schools, a representative body for the UK’s business schools, and Executive Director of the Small Business Charter, which recognises and supports business schools that have proven commitment and success in helping small businesses grow. Prior to that she had been Chief Executive of the Institute of Financial Services, part of what is now the London Institute of Banking and Finance She has also worked in banking and as a Secondary school Maths teacher. She was awarded an OBE in the 2019 Queen’s Birthday Honours for services to small businesses and entrepreneurs. She is a Higher Education Commissioner with Policy Connect and sits on the British Academy’s Research and Higher Education Policy Committee.
In January 2023 Anne will leave the Chartered ABS to become CEO of the Chartered Institute of Internal Auditors.
Mark Leach is the founder, CEO and Editor in Chief of Wonkhe - home of the UK higher education debate. Before setting up Wonkhe, Mark worked in policy and public affairs roles in and around higher education, working at the National Union of Students, HEFCE, University Alliance, GuildHE as well as a stint in politics as a special adviser to the former Shadow Minister for Universities and Science. As CEO of Wonkhe, Mark is responsible for running and developing the business and as Editor in Chief, oversees Wonkhe’s editorial platforms that span influential email briefings, Wonkhe.com and The Wonkhe Show podcast which he also hosts.
Matt Lewis retired from KPMG in March 2016 having worked there for 30 years and been a partner for 20 years. He worked in a number of industry sectors, including Fast Moving Consumer Goods, Retail, Leisure, Engineering, Defence and Business Services. His clients were predominantly large international listed groups. As well as audit, Matt supported clients on many significant transactions, including IPOs, mergers, acquisitions and disposals.Matt chairs the Audit, Assurance and Risk Committee and the Remuneration Committee. Matt is also a trustee of the Weald and Downland Museum in Sussex.
Lili is an experienced angel investor and portfolio non-executive Director.
She serves as the Vice Chair at Partnership Learning Multi Academy Trust, where she also Chairs the Audit and Risk Committee. She is a non-executive Director at the London Historic Building Trust, where she Chairs the Finance, Risk and Investment Committee, a charity focussed on regenerating the future of heritage buildings in London. In addition, Lili is a non-executive Director at the Quality of Life Foundation, an organisation which, through its research and local engagement, strives to make health and well-being central to the way homes and communities are developed. Lili’s other focus is on advising and investing in tech start-ups.
During an Executive career spanning over twenty years, Lili held a number of senior strategic and commercial roles in sectors ranging from capital markets to retail financial services and real estate in the UK and Asia.
An active member of the socially-engaged Buddhist movement, SGI-UK, Lili graduated with a Masters degree from the London School of Economics and completed her undergraduate degree at Royal Holloway, University of London. She is fluent in Mandarin, Hainanese and English.
Lili loves to travel, often using her native Singapore as a base, enjoys competitive ballroom dancing, Pilates, theatre, opera and is a self-confessed foodie.
Jil Matheson was National Statistician, Head of the Government Statistical Service and Chief Executive of the UK Statistics Authority from 2009 until 2014, following a career in social research and statistics. Jil also Chaired the OECD's Committee on Statistics and Statistical Policy and the UN Statistical Commission.
She is currently a member of various committees, including the UK Committee on Research Integrity, and the Academy of Social Sciences. She is a non-executive Director of the Sports Ground Safety Authority.
Throughout her career Jil has championed research and statistics for the public good to enable citizens and decision makers to understand their communities, their countries, and the world. She was appointed DCB (Dame Commander of the Order of the Bath) in 2014 for services to official statistics.
Martin Taylor spent his early career in finance and consultancy and then joined Inchcape plc, the international automotive distribution and retail Group. In 2009 he moved on to build a ‘portfolio career’ which now includes his role as Treasurer ( Chair from 2012-2021) of Befrienders Worldwide, a registered charity, which previously operated as the international division of Samaritans. Martin is also Chair of Infinity Health, an early stage health technology business.
Martin has worked in various international roles, including a total of 18 years in Greece and Belgium where he lived with his family. He has an MA in Economics from Cambridge University and is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants.
Between February 2012 and June 2013, Martin was an independent co-opted member of the Middlesex University audit committee prior to becoming a governor. He was appointed as Deputy Chair of the Board and Chair of the Finance Committee in September 2016.
Homiyar Wykes is currently Group Financial Controller for ED&F Man responsible for financial reporting and analysis, budgeting and planning and lender reporting. He started his career as an audit trainee with Arthur Andersen and worked in positions of increasing global responsibility at KPMG, ArcelorMittal (Metals and Mining), Stolt-Nielsen (Transportation and Logistics) and ED&F Man (Commodity Trading). Homiyar is a Chartered Accountant and holds a Post Graduate Diploma in Business Management from Warwick Business School.
