Figures from worlds of HE, FE, consultancy, digital transformation and sector policy join MDX Board
Middlesex University has appointed five new governors who bring a wealth of expertise from a range of sectors to its Board of Governors, the body which takes ultimate responsibility for the strategic planning of the University’s future development.
Rebecca Bunting, Simon Darling, Michael Ekpe, Mark Leach and Andy Wilson join the Board of Governors from July 2019.
Chair of the Board, Geraldine Proudler said: “It is great to welcome to Middlesex people with such extensive skills that Rebecca, Simon, Michael, Mark and Andy bring to the University’s Board of Governors. Their tremendous breadth and depth of experience will be of huge benefit to the University at what is a challenging and exciting time for Higher Education in this country.”
Profiles:
Rebecca Bunting
Professor Rebecca Bunting has over 20 years’ experience in higher education and was until 2018 Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive of Buckinghamshire New University. Prior to this appointment, she was the Deputy Vice-Chancellor at the University of Portsmouth, and before that, was Pro-Rector at the University of Northampton and Dean at Anglia Ruskin University.
A graduate of Girton College Cambridge in English, Professor Bunting was a postgraduate student at the University of London and qualified as a teacher in secondary schools and further education, teaching for a number of years before moving into the university sector. Her research and publications are in the field of children’s language acquisition and development.
As a founding Director of the Higher Education Academy, and through her engagement in many national strategic committees, Professor Bunting is a champion of excellence and innovation in learning and teaching and widening participation. She is a Director of the Buckinghamshire Thames Valley Local Economic Partnership, chairing its Skills and Employment Board, and undertakes a number of advisory and consultant roles in the higher education sector.
Simon Darling
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.
Michael Ekpe
Michael Ekpe is the Chief Digital and Technology Officer at Public Health England (PHE) where he leads the strategic programme of digital, data and technology transformation that will ensure PHE delivers world class digital services.
Michael has extensive experience in business transformation and has held various senior technology roles in financial services, commercial and government sectors.
Prior to PHE, he led the digital workstream for the cross-government financial management reform programme at HM Treasury.
As Chief Architect at the Department for Business Innovation & Skills (now BEIS), Michael led the department through its transition to a new operating model, enabling more rapid evolution to support digital services.
Mark Leach
Mark Leach is the founder, CEO and Editor in Chief of Wonkhe. Mark worked in policy, politics and public affairs in and around UK higher education and founded Wonkhe in 2011 while working as a jobbing policy wonk in the sector.
The first part of his career took him to 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 & Science.
Mark began full-time work on Wonkhe in mid-2014, growing it into a thriving business based in Central London. As CEO, Mark is responsible for running and developing Wonkhe and as Editor in Chief oversees Wonkhe’s editorial platforms.
Andy Wilson
Andy is the recently retired Chief Executive of London’s largest group of Further Education colleges (turnover of £110 million), a role that enabled him to successfully bridge the gap between the private and public sectors, as well as to transform a complex organisation.
He was Principal of Westminster Kingsway College for 12 years prior to the creation of Capital City College Group. He was one of the key architects of CCCG and became founding Group CEO when Westminster Kingsway and City & Islington College merged in 2016.
Andy successfully led the organisation as it expanded when the College of Haringey, Enfield & North East London joined and the Group’s innovative training arm, Capital City College Training, was created to work directly with London’s employers.
MDX appoints five new Governors
Middlesex University has appointed five new governors who bring a wealth of expertise from a range of sectors to its Board of Governors, the body which takes ultimate responsibility for the strategic planning of the University’s future development.
Rebecca Bunting, Simon Darling, Michael Ekpe, Mark Leach and Andy Wilson join the Board of Governors from July 2019.
Chair of the Board, Geraldine Proudler said: “It is great to welcome to Middlesex people with such extensive skills that Rebecca, Simon, Michael, Mark and Andy bring to the University’s Board of Governors. Their tremendous breadth and depth of experience will be of huge benefit to the University at what is a challenging and exciting time for Higher Education in this country.”
Profiles:
Rebecca Bunting
Professor Rebecca Bunting has over 20 years’ experience in higher education and was until 2018 Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive of Buckinghamshire New University. Prior to this appointment, she was the Deputy Vice-Chancellor at the University of Portsmouth, and before that, was Pro-Rector at the University of Northampton and Dean at Anglia Ruskin University.
A graduate of Girton College Cambridge in English, Professor Bunting was a postgraduate student at the University of London and qualified as a teacher in secondary schools and further education, teaching for a number of years before moving into the university sector. Her research and publications are in the field of children’s language acquisition and development.
As a founding Director of the Higher Education Academy, and through her engagement in many national strategic committees, Professor Bunting is a champion of excellence and innovation in learning and teaching and widening participation. She is a Director of the Buckinghamshire Thames Valley Local Economic Partnership, chairing its Skills and Employment Board, and undertakes a number of advisory and consultant roles in the higher education sector.
Simon Darling
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.
Michael Ekpe
Michael Ekpe is the Chief Digital and Technology Officer at Public Health England (PHE) where he leads the strategic programme of digital, data and technology transformation that will ensure PHE delivers world class digital services.
Michael has extensive experience in business transformation and has held various senior technology roles in financial services, commercial and government sectors.
Prior to PHE, he led the digital workstream for the cross-government financial management reform programme at HM Treasury.
As Chief Architect at the Department for Business Innovation & Skills (now BEIS), Michael led the department through its transition to a new operating model, enabling more rapid evolution to support digital services.
Mark Leach
Mark Leach is the founder, CEO and Editor in Chief of Wonkhe. Mark worked in policy, politics and public affairs in and around UK higher education and founded Wonkhe in 2011 while working as a jobbing policy wonk in the sector.
The first part of his career took him to 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 & Science.
Mark began full-time work on Wonkhe in mid-2014, growing it into a thriving business based in Central London. As CEO, Mark is responsible for running and developing Wonkhe and as Editor in Chief oversees Wonkhe’s editorial platforms.
Andy Wilson
Andy is the recently retired Chief Executive of London’s largest group of Further Education colleges (turnover of £110 million), a role that enabled him to successfully bridge the gap between the private and public sectors, as well as to transform a complex organisation.
He was Principal of Westminster Kingsway College for 12 years prior to the creation of Capital City College Group. He was one of the key architects of CCCG and became founding Group CEO when Westminster Kingsway and City & Islington College merged in 2016.
Andy successfully led the organisation as it expanded when the College of Haringey, Enfield & North East London joined and the Group’s innovative training arm, Capital City College Training, was created to work directly with London’s employers.