Senior leadership team

I joined the Dyson Institute in 2023 as Director, and Professor of Engineering Education Leadership. My professional background is in production engineering and engineering management, and my academic experience has focussed on leadership of innovative engineering education environments. I’ve led large-scale curriculum change in a research-intensive university and have taken an independent Higher Education Institute through academic mobilisation to the award of new degree awarding powers. I’m passionate about the future of engineering education, the power of higher education to transform lives, and the central role of engineering and technology in society and the economy.

I believe nowhere else offers the kind of opportunity being offered at the Dyson Institute - employer-sponsored study, working alongside core teams in a global innovation leader, all with a small institute feel. The opportunity to lead the institute in its strategic expansion, working alongside the brightest and kindest colleagues, in the Institute and in Dyson, was irresistible.

I joined the Institute as a founding member in January 2017 working out how the Institute would support Dyson’s talent needs and how we could develop exceptional multidisciplinary engineers to develop Dyson’s future products. I have been a key part of the leadership team through our first intake of students, their graduation, our registration as a higher education provider and successfully achieving New Degree Awarding Powers. I have worked across all areas of the Institute’s provision and am now the Deputy Director (Engineering Integration), responsible for admissions, communications and the workplace experience of our students.

Prior to working at the Dyson Institute, I worked at Dyson as a structural analysis engineer, responsible for the mechanical robustness of Dyson products across all categories and developed into running a team of engineers. Whilst building and developing my engineering team I appreciated the freedom and encouragement provided at Dyson to prototype, test, explore, fail and improve designs. This is what draws talented engineers to Dyson, and provides a fantastic learning opportunity for students, interns and graduates.

I am one of the more recent members of the Dyson Institute having joined in August 2024. I started my career in manufacturing industry as a mechanical and design engineer. I have had over three decades in engineering and academia, and my journey has led me to roles in academic leadership and university teaching at a ‘post 92’, a Russell Group and a new disruptor institution culminating in me arriving at the Dyson Institute – another disruptor HEI.  

I have had the opportunity and privilege to hone my skills and knowledge in curriculum development, enhancing academic quality and programme accreditation. My personal objective is to foster innovative engineering education, ensuring it resonates on a global scale through overseas campuses and partner institutions but, more importantly, delivers at a personal level for each student and staff member. At the core, my competencies lie in steering academic institutions toward excellence, leveraging my expertise in engineering accreditation and academic assessment.

I am committed to contributing to an organisation that values diversity, continuous improvement, and transformative education.  The Dyson Institute embodies these attributes, so it is exciting to be a part of an organisation that offers students such a unique blend of academic and industrial experience.

I joined the Dyson Institute in early 2021 having spent the previous decade working in traditional higher education including at: Cardiff University, Aston University and the University of Gloucestershire.

My day-to-day work encompasses two main roles: Secretary to Council and Head of Professional Services. Council is the Institute’s governing body and it is my responsibility to support them in discharging their duties as Directors, setting the Institute’s strategy, and monitoring performance.

As Head of Professional Services my department includes governance, quality assurance, student cases, academic administration, risk and resilience, regulatory compliance, and strategy conversion.

I have a particular interest in the synergy between academic regulations and curriculum design to enable degree programmes to be delivered and assessed creatively.

As the Head of Smart Campus Services, I lead our Digital Services, Campus Services, Project Management Office, and Digital Learning Content teams. My strategic role involves developing and delivering our digital and infrastructure strategy to support the Institute's business plan.

With over 15 years of experience in the Educational, IT and Telecommunications industry, I have a strong background in service management, business relationship management, business continuity and delivering transformational programmes on both small and large global scales.  I am committed to ensuring that all projects delivered are student-focused with a smooth transition into adoption. Furthermore, as a Microsoft Certified Associate, I play a key role in the implementation of key applications that improve the Institute's automation and IT capabilities. Looking forward, I aim to build on the digital foundations that the Institute has already delivered, with a vision of a seamless, high quality digital experience across multiple modes of study.

I have a keen interest in technology and keeping up to date with technological developments within the educational sector and outside. In my spare time I like to play golf, rugby, catch up on Formula 1 and NFL.

I joined the Dyson Institute in March 2022 as Finance Lead, I provide monthly reporting and forecasting as well as annual budgeting, statutory financial statements and Office for Student returns. I'm the interface with the wider Dyson group on all finance related matters.

I subsequently joined the senior management team as Finance manager where I have been able to use my extensive board experience to guide the wider management team and embed financial processes in the Institute’s culture. I have a strong belief that finance should enable dynamic organisations to reach their goals rather than control and hinder them.