Key Court appointment
The University has appointed Dr Anne Richards as Vice-Convener of Court.
Dr Richards will take up her post on 1 August and replaces Professor Stuart Monro, who has held the post since 2011.
Leadership role
The Court is the University’s highest governing body. It is made up of 22 members who consider items relating to the governance, finance and administration of the institution.
The Vice-Convener works with the Principal and the University’s Senior Management Team and is responsible for the leadership of Court.
The role is similar to that of the ‘chair’ of institution in many other universities.
Stuart has been a very great asset to the University, bringing energy and good humour to the Court as its Vice-Convener, and I thank him for his contribution. In Anne the University has a new Vice-Convener who has considerable experience in leading on major strategic issues. I am confident that she will also make a significant contribution.
Experienced candidate
Dr Richards is currently Chief Investment Officer of Aberdeen Asset Management, a FTSE 100 company. She also holds a number of non-executive positions, including Director of esure and the Duchy of Lancaster.
She has previously served on the University’s Court and has a first-class honours degree in Electronics and Electrical Engineering from Edinburgh.
New appointments
Following an open recruitment process, the University has also appointed two Court Members and two Members of the Court’s Investment Committee.
The four newcomers will take up their posts on 1 August. They are:
- Mandy Exley, Principal of Edinburgh College (Court Member)
- Lady Susan Rice, Managing Director of Lloyds Banking Group Scotland (Court Member)
- Mark Connolly, Director and Head of Fixed Income at the Scottish Widows Investment Partnership (Investment Committee Member)
- Carolyn Aitchison, Former Managing Director of Blackstone Group (Investment Committee Member)