News New Chair and Directors announced


The university’s Board agreed the appointment of a new Chair of the Board who took up office on 1 October 2010.


The new Chair is Stephen Henwood who is well known in Cumbria as Chair of the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA). He has a strong financial background and is a very experienced chairman. He has also held positions at BAE Systems PLC, Hampson Industries PLC and Nord Anglia Education PLC.


In addition the Board agreed the appointment of three directors. As well as serving on the main Board two will be members of its newly created Finance and Resources Committee and the other will become a member of Audit Committee. They are:


Geoffrey Donnelly


Geoffrey is an accountant and lives in North Yorkshire where he is currently a non-executive director of the NHS North Yorkshire and York Trust and is Chair of its Audit Committee. He is an experienced board professional, with a strong commercial background as well as extensive governance and audit skills in higher education. Geoffrey will also be Chair of the Finance and Resources Committee.


Steve Curl


Steve lives in Kendal and be brings with him a wealth of board experience. He has 20 years’ successful experience as a senior executive in a number of international technology companies including NASDAQ and UK quoted companies and is currently chair of a number of private equity backed businesses across the UK.


Mark Renwick Smith


Mark lives in Orton and has worked for 20 years in the financial services industry in various roles but principally as a finance systems manager, financial controller and auditor. He has worked for Scottish Provident, and Abbey National but most recently served as Chief Internal Auditor for the Furness Building Society and Head of Internal Audit at the Cumberland Building Society.


The Board also appointed three associate directors.


Following the Board’s subsequent meeting on 25 November, three further directors were appointed: Claire Hensman


Claire is currently involved with a number of voluntary and charitable organisations as a member, volunteer and trustee. She has also served as a non-executive director with a number of organisations including NHS Trusts, where she was also a member of the Audit Committee until 2009, as a Council member at Lancaster University, where she served as Deputy Pro Chancellor from 2001 to 2006 and as deputy chair of its Finance Committee. Claire will be a member of the Audit Committee.


Dr Hilary Crowe


Hilary is a chartered accountant who, after a number of years working with Touche Ross and Co, established her own accountancy practice, specialising as a tax consultant. She has also taught and lectured extensively in taxation and audit. In 2000 she sold her business and returned to full-time study in history, completing a DPhil in 2009. She has taught at the University of Sussex. Hilary will become a member of the Strategy and Planning Committee.


Tom Drummond


Tom has been elected to the Board to represent the student body at the university. Tom is currently a student on the BA (Hons) Primary Education with QTS programme in Carlisle.


Professor Graham Upton, Vice Chancellor said: “We had an excellent response from more than 50 applicants wanting to join the University Board. These new directors bring high level expertise in finance and accountancy, business skills and law. They are all committed to quality higher education and to Cumbria and the surrounding region and I’m sure they will help lead and support the development of the university in the future. We are particularly delighted that Stephen Henwood will become the new Chair. He has tremendous and relevant experience and expertise that will be of enormous benefit to the university in the next phase of its development.”


The new incoming Chair Stephen Henwood said “I am delighted to have the opportunity to take on the role of the Chair and working with the Board, Professor Upton and his team to help realise the vision of the University of Cumbria and build on the work that has established the university and in particular the work that has been done this year as part of the process of repositioning the university.”


Full Board and associate director profiles may be found at www.cumbria.ac.uk/aboutus/theuniversity


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