His academic background is in business and management and his research focused on identity, diversity, change leadership and learning. His work has been funded by AHRC, ESRC, EU, Nesta and industry partners and he was Lead Fellow of the ESRC Advanced Institute of Management.
Nic has worked extensively with industry and over the last decade has focused on change and innovation in creative industries and the health service. He also led the national academic input to the current Scottish cultural policy and is currently working on methods of impactful engagement between practice, policy and academia.
Nic has extensive experience of leading international and blended learning. As well as many journal articles, Nic has published seven books and his next book on Impactful Research is due out in 2021. Nic has held visiting chairs in the UK, Europe and Australia and holds 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.
In his role as the Vice-Chancellor, Nic leads the University, fulfilling the roles of both Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive. Nic leads our diverse and innovative community, including staff, students and partners in an outstandingly collaborative and inclusive culture.
As the Accountable Officer to the Office for Students, Nic has responsibility for:
Nic is the University's principal representative in articulating the University’s interests and needs to the wider world and plays an important role in representing Middlesex University to government, businesses, funders and to national, global and local stakeholders.
An important part of Nic’s role is to deliver our University Mission and Strategic Plan to be a global university, operating at new levels of accessibility, working in new forms of partnership and developing new understandings of the world through which our growing community can influence it for the good.
Nic shapes the strategic direction of the University in partnership with the Board of Governors and is accountable to the Chair of the Board of Governors. Nic is also a full member of the Board of Governors.
All members of the University Executive Team report to Nic as the Vice-Chancellor.
