Chair of Council - Dr Sally Howes OBE
Dr Sally Howes OBE joined UEA as Chair in August 2021 and is also President of Fitzwilliam College Society, Cambridge. Non-executive roles have included the Chair of the UK Space Agency, Council Member of Surrey University and Chair of Surrey University Research Park, Independent Director of the Copyright and Licencing Agency (and Chair of its Audit and Risk Committee), NED of Parliaments Joint Investment Board (and independent member of several major programme boards in Parliament) and Chair of HR Wallingford Group Limited.
She supports Government, reviewing and assisting those leading major programmes, helping them to address complex digital transformation, commercial and governance challenges.
Deputy chair of Council and Independent Member - Jeremy Clayton
Jeremy joined UEA Council in August 2016. He is a retired Civil Servant with most recent posts: Director, Government Office for Science, Director Research Base (BIS), Director Science and Innovation Strategy and International (BIS). Previously trustee of UEA Students Union and of the Campaign for Science and Engineering.
Vice-Chancellor and President - Professor David Maguire
Professor David Maguire joined UEA in May 2023 as Vice-Chancellor & President, providing academic and administrative leadership to all elements of the institution. He has more than 25 years’ experience in higher education, including having been Vice-Chancellor of the University of Greenwich from 2011 to 2019 and Interim Vice-Chancellor at the Universities of Dundee and Sussex as well as Interim Principal at the Dyson Institute of Engineering and Technology.
He worked for global technology company, Esri, for 20 years in the field of Geographic Information Systems and is a former Chair of the Board of Jisc – the UK digital, data and technology agency focused on tertiary education, research and innovation. He was also a member of the Higher Education Policy Institute (HEPI) advisory board and the Universities UK Board. David is a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society (FRGS) and is the author of over 100 papers and seven books.
Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Research & Innovation) - Professor Julian Blow
Julian Blow is Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Research and Innovation. Julian joined UEA in 2024 from the University of Dundee, where he had been Dean of the School of Life Sciences. Under his leadership Dundee was ranked the top university for biological sciences research in both REF2014 and REF2021 and was recognised for a range of successful enterprise initiatives in the biosciences.
In recognition of Julian’s research achievements, he has been elected a Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences, a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, and a Member of the European Molecular Biology Organization. He has served on many national and international scientific committees, including for the BBSRC, CRUK, ERC and NIH. He is currently Chair of the Scientific Committee of the Lister Institute.
Treasurer - Simon George
Simon joined UEA Council in January 2023. Simon has nearly twenty years’ experience working as a senior officer in local government. He is currently the CFO of the Office of Police and Crime Commissioner for Norfolk. Prior to this he was the Executive Director of Finance & Commercial Services at Norfolk County Council. Simon worked at the BBC for 10 years in senior finance roles across TV, radio and new media.
Simon has a wealth of experience in trustee/director roles; he has been a trustee at The Nancy Oldfield Trust for the past four years and Norwich City Community Sports Foundation for the past four years. Previously he has been Chairman of Directors for Equinox Enterprises LTD (Great Yarmouth Borough Council’s property company) and was Vice Chairman and Chairman of local children’s charity Break for over 11 years.
Senior Independent Member of Council - Dr Andy Wood OBE DL
Andy Wood joined UEA Council in August 2020 and was appointed as the Council’s Senior Independent Member in August 2021. Andy joined Adnams in 1994, becoming Chief Executive in 2010. He has a DBA from Cranfield University and Honorary doctorates; in Business from Anglia Ruskin University, in Science from Cranfield University and Civil Law from the University of East Anglia. He was also awarded an OBE in 2013 and between 2014 to 2016 was HRH The Prince of Wales’ Ambassador for Responsible business in the East of England.
In 2010 Andy became the founding Chair of the New Anglia Local Enterprise Partnership, he has co-authored a book on Lean and Green Business Systems which was awarded the Shingo prize for Operational Excellence in 2013.
Independent Member of Council - David Hansom
David Hansom joined UEA Council in October 2023. David is a practicing solicitor and a partner at international law firm Clyde & Co LLP where he leads the firm’s procurement law team. He is co-head of the firm’s Education Sector group and has significant experience of helping higher education institutions take opportunities and navigate risk. He has advised universities on international expansion as well as modernisation projects. David is ranked in all major legal directories and speaks French and German. David is a member of UEA Finance Committee.
Independent Member of Council - Prof Lu-Yun Lian
Lu-Yun Lian, PhD, MBA, joined UEA Council in August 2022. She is an internationally renowned structural biologist and biochemist and has published over 188 peer-reviewed papers. She is currently an Honorary Professor at the Universities of Manchester, Liverpool and East Anglia, and runs her own independent consultancy.
She has extensive senior management experience including membership of the Governing Council of the University of Liverpool and was a Non-Executive Trustee and member of the Audit Committee at the BBSRC Babraham Research Institute, Cambridge. She is currently a Trustee of the Daphne Jackson Trust. Professor Lian has also served on numerous major research grant awarding panels including the European Research Council, the British Council, BBSRC and the Daphne Jackson Trust.
Independent Member of Council - Gillian Maclean
Gillian Maclean joined UEA Council in August 2016 and was Chair of the Audit Committee between 2020 to 2023. Gillian is the Head of Internal Controls and Special Projects at Lotus.
Independent Member of Council - Bill McCluggage
Bill McCluggage joined UEA Council in October 2023 and was appointed the Chair of the Audit Committee. Bill is an independent technology and business change advisor with extensive experience in IT leadership across government and the private sector. He was the first Irish Government CIO in 2013, following roles as Deputy UK Government CIO and Executive Director of IT Policy & Strategy in the UK Cabinet Office.
Bill was a Non-executive Director with FCDO Services for 6 years up to October 2024 and has extensive experience in governance roles having chaired the Audit & Risk Committee for a Further Education college for six years. Bill is passionate about technology’s role in driving efficiency and innovation in both public and private sector organisations. He spent 3 years as Head of Information Security, Assurance and Counter Fraud with the innovative UK Open Banking programme and is currently Chair of the Northern Ireland Fraud Forum.
Independent Member of Council - Dr Jonathan Paine
Dr Jonathan Paine joined UEA Council in August 2021. He is an investment banker and academic. He is currently a Senior Advisor at Rothschild & Co., where he has worked for the past 25 years as a specialist in the telecoms, media and technology industries. He is also a Supernumerary Fellow of Wolfson College, Oxford, where he chairs the Development Committee and sits on the Investment Committee. He has served as a non-executive director on the boards of a major housing association, an NHS Trust and a children’s charity. He holds a D.Phil from Oxford University and is a published author of works on the economics of literature. He is also the Treasurer of the International Dostoevsky Society.
Independent Member of Council - Victoria Phillips
Victoria Phillips joined UEA Council in August 2024. Victoria is a solicitor retired from private practice. She specialised in trade union and employment law. She was previously Head of Employment Rights at Thompsons Solicitors LLP.
She was a member of the Internal Justice Council of the United Nations from 2012-2016. She has an Honorary Doctorate in Law from the University of East Anglia. She studied Law at UEA from 1980-83 and was President of UEASU 1983-1984.
Independent Member of Council - Francis Tengenesha
Francis Tengenesha joined UEA Council in August 2022. Francis Tengenesha graduated with a BSc (with honours) in Economics from Brunel University, has an MBA from Warwick Business School and studied at Shanghai International Studies University in China. Francis is an investment professional at West Yorkshire Pension Fund (WYPF). In this role, Francis is directly responsible for the WYPF’s private equity and infrastructure investments and sits on the advisory boards of several UK and global private equity and infrastructure partnerships.
Additionally, from 2017 to 2020, Francis Tengenesha served on the Board of Governors and as a member of the Education Standards Committee at Bradford Forster Academy (BFA).
Member appointed by Senate - Professor Jan Kaiser
Professor Jan Kaiser joined UEA Council in August 2024. Jan is Professor of Biogeochemistry in the School of Environmental Sciences (ENV). He joined UEA in 2006, following postdoctoral work at the Max Planck Institute for Nuclear Physics and the Department of Geosciences at Princeton University. Jan holds undergraduate (Universities of Hamburg and Bremen) and doctoral degrees in Chemistry (Max Planck Institute for Chemistry/University of Mainz).
Jan is a member of the UEA Senate (since 2023) and previously held several leadership roles in ENV, including Director of the Centre for Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences (COAS) and Director of Finance. As Study Abroad Coordinator, Jan has advised and guided over 120 ENV students to the successful completion of their placement years at more than 30 universities in North America, Australasia and Europe.
Member appointed by Senate - Professor Kim Ridealgh
Dr Kim Ridealgh joined UEA Council in August 2024. Kim is Associate Professor in Sociolinguistics in the School of Media, Language and Communication Studies (MLC). She joined UEA in 2014, following a visiting professorship at North East Normal University in Changchun China and postdoctoral work at the Free University in Berlin. Kim holds undergraduate (Universities of Hamburg and Bremen) and doctoral degrees in Egyptology (Swansea University). Kim holds undergraduate, master and doctoral degrees in Egyptology (Swansea University).
Kim is a member of the UEA Senate (since 2023) and is currently Head of School for Media, Language and Communication Studies. Kim has previously held the following leadership roles: Head of School for Politics, Philosophy, Language and Communication Studies (PPL), Head of Language and Communication Studies, Admission Director (PPL) and Faculty lead for Widening Participation for Arts and Humanities.
Member nominated by the support staff - Kristopher Harper-Allison
Kristopher Harper-Allison joined UEA Council in August 2021. Kristopher is a Placements Administrator and has over 20 years of experience working in HE at UEA and he is also Chair of the Standing Committee of the Assembly a role held since 2011. He holds a Master of Horticulture from the Royal Horticultural Society, is the Treasurer of the Norfolk Record Society and Branch Chairman of the Chartered Institute of Horticulture for the Eastern Region. He recently completed a fixed-term appointment as a Company Director and Trustee of Plant Heritage.
Member nominated by the Student Union - Rebekah Temple-Fielder
Rebekah Temple-Fielder joined UEA Council in July 2024 and is one of two elected student representatives. Rebekah graduated from UEA with a BA(Hons) in History of Art with Gallery and Museum Studies and is now the Undergraduate Education Officer at UEA Students' Union with a focus on academic representation and feedback, to implement positive change to the studies of Undergraduate Students.
Rebekah has worked in partnership with the Students Union to redesign an implement a new academic representation system as well as working towards updating the Lecture Capture policies to increase recording availability to students.
Member nominated by the Student Union - Nathan Wyatt
Nathan Wyatt joined UEA Council in July 2024 and is one of two elected student representatives. Nathan recently graduated from UEA with a BA (Hons) in Politics and International Relations.
Nathan is the Welfare, Community, and Diversity Officer at UEA Students' Union. As Welfare Officer he focuses on student wellbeing, creating sense of belonging, and supporting diversity and representation for students from all backgrounds. Nathan has worked to reopen the university pharmacy, represented UEA students in parliament on rental reform, and worked to get students and the local community a night bus service in Norwich.
Registrar and Secretary and University Secretary - Ian Callaghan
As Registrar and Secretary and University Secretary, Ian Callaghan is responsible for the University’s governance, finance and planning, HR, commercial services and health and safety.
He joined UEA in January 2005 as Planning Accountant and held the roles of Director of Planning, Director of Finance, Planning & Governance and Acting Registrar and Secretary before taking on his current position.
Ian graduated from Sheffield University in Geography and has worked in financial and general management roles in various organisations including Barclays Bank, KPMG and Sainsbury’s.