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| Kristen Bennie, Interim Chair of the GSA Board of Governors |
Kristen Bennie is to be the interim Chair of The Glasgow School of Art’s Board of Governors it was announced today (12 October 2021). A graduate of Northwestern University (Chicago), where she studied Art Theory and Practice, INSEAD (Paris) and the University of Cambridge, Ms Bennie is Director of Partnerships and Open Experience (OX) at NatWest Group. She joined the GSA Board in autumn 2019 and is currently convenor of the Human Resources Committee.
“It is a huge privilege to be selected to take on the role as Interim Chair of The Board of Governors at this exciting time in the School’s development,” says Kristen Bennie.
“Art Schools play a key role in nurturing the skills and creative talent that will be required to address some of the greatest challenges we face today; a world that has only recently experienced such a life-changing event as a global Covid Pandemic and a climate crisis that threatens irreparable damage to our planet.
“As a global leader in creative education the GSA is already bringing innovative thinking not only to how we live today, but to the kind of world we want in the future.”
“I am delighted that Kristen Bennie is the interim Chair of the Board of Governors,” says GSA Director, Professor Penny Macbeth. “Kristen has extensive experience in the areas of design and innovation with particular expertise in driving transformation and developing strategic partnerships, which will be invaluable to the GSA in this pivotal phase of our development.”
It was also announced today that the Board had been further strengthened with the addition of four new expert independent members: Professor Anne Trefethen, Pro-Vice-Chancellor at the University of Oxford with responsibility for GLAM (Gardens, Libraries and Museums); Professor Graham Caie, Emeritus Professor and Honorary Professorial Research Fellow at the University of Glasgow; Dr Simon Learoyd, a hugely experienced financial services professional; and Dr Graham Sharp, an expert in finance, strategy, governance and regulation, and. These latest appointees to the Board of Governors follow the addition of eight new Independent Governors since summer 2018.
“The latest academic and industry experts recruited as Governors bring further strength and depth to the Board,” adds Professor Macbeth. “Their appointment reflects the reputation of The Glasgow School of Art as a global leader in creative education and research, coming at a key moment as we develop our next strategic plan for 2022-27.”
Since summer 2018 The Board of Governors has seen the appointment of 12 of its current 16 Independent Governors: Michael McAuley joined in spring 2018; Dr Kate Lampitt Adey, Habib Motani and Harry Rich joined summer 2018; Kristen Bennie, Ann Faulds, Professor John French, Dr Marty Herbert, and Tsz Wu joined autumn 2019; Professor Anne Trefethen, Dr Simon Learoyd, Dr Graham Sharp and Professor Graham Caiejoin in 2021. For biographies of all GSA Board members visit: https://www.gsa.ac.uk/about-gsa/our-people/governors/biographies/
The GSA’s status as a leader in creative education has also been reflected in the calibre of recent senior academic and professional appointments. Professor Penny Macbeth, joined the GSA as Director and CEO in May 2020 from Manchester Metropolitan University where she was Deputy Pro Vice Chancellor of External Engagement and Partnership and Dean of Manchester School of Art; Allan Atlee, who was previously Dean of Academic Strategy at Central St Martin’s, took up the post of Deputy Director, Academic, in December 2020; Andrew Menzies joined GSA as Director of Finance from Herriot Watt University in June 2020 and Director of Estates, Eleanor Magennis, came to the GSA from the University of Glasgow in December 2020. Professor Rebecca Fortnum joined the GSA as Head of the School of Fine Art in June 2021 from the Royal College of Art where she was Professor of Fine Art, and Professor Stephen Bottomley, Head of the Birmingham Institute of Jewellery, Fashion and Textiles, Birmingham City University, has just been appointed Head of the School of Design. He will join the GSA in January 2022.
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For further information contact:
Lesley Booth,
07799414474
@GSofAMedia
Biographies
Kristen Bennie
Kristen is a creative leader with a wealth of experience in innovation and transformation programs. She is presently Director of Partnerships and Open Experience (OX) at NatWest where she helps bring the future into focus through design, insight and ideation, technology and collaboration. She cares passionately about arts education, learning and the benefits these bring. Her career has always involved the development and delivery of new products, services and software, working at the intersection of strategy, design and technology. She has created and leads NatWest’s award winning innovation studios in London and Edinburgh. Along with her ever expanding and talented team she is responsible for defining, designing and delivering new value propositions for growth. She is a recognised leader in her domain and was named as one of the top 35 global women leaders by IBM for her work using artificial intelligence to power digital transformation. Her board memberships currently include Fintech Scotland, CodeClan and the Board of Governors at The Glasgow School of Art and was formerly a member of the RBS Scotland board. She holds a degree from Northwestern University in Art Theory and Practice and History and has completed Executive Education programs at INSEAD, University of Cambridge and Singularity University.
Professor Graham Caie CBE, PhD, FRSE, FEA, FRSA
Professor Graham Caie is Emeritus Professor and Honorary Professorial Research Fellow at the University of Glasgow, where he previously served until 2012 as Vice Principal and Clerk of Senate. Professor Caie has had wide experience of leadership, management and governance at a senior level on the boards of a number of public organisations and two other Scottish HEIs. He is a member of the British Council’s Scottish Advisory Board (since 2014); Deputy (and Acting Chair) of the National Library of Scotland (until 2014); Vice-President (Arts and Social Science) of the Royal Society of Edinburgh (2012-2015); and Vice-President of the European Federation of Academies of Science and Humanities (2014-2020). He has served on the UK’s RAE/REF English panels twice and recently has been the external adviser to three UK universities on their 2021 REF submissions. Professor Caie has also been a QAA Institutional Reviewer in England and Scotland (ELIR) and has significant experience in reviewing the learning and teaching quality of HEIs. He was awarded the CBE in 2016 for services to research in the UK and Europe.
Dr Simon Learoyd BA (Hons), PG Cert, MSc, PhD
Dr Simon Learoyd has significant financial expertise following a 35-year career in financial services, most recently at CYBG, and has wide-ranging experience of all aspects of business strategy and financial management. He completed a PhD at the University of Edinburgh in 2020. Dr Learoyd is a member of the Board of Trustees of the National Library of Scotland and acted as Interim Chair until September 2021; Trustee of the National Library of Scotland Foundation; Trustee and Chair of the Audit and Risk Committee of Community Integrated Care (since 2017); and Trustee of the Royal Burgh of Pittenweem Arts Festival (also since 2017).
Dr Graham Sharp BSc, LLB, MSc, DPhil, CA
Dr Graham Sharp BSc (Hons), LLB, MSc, DPhil has wide-ranging executive and non-executive experience at Board level in the private and public sectors. He has particular strengths in the areas of finance, strategy,governance and regulation. In the private sector, Graham had a comprehensive City of London career, including as a main board director of a leading merchant bank, and has wide experience at board level in executive and non- executive positions including chairing various Board committees. He was a founder and executive director of a successful UK private property investment company and started up an advisorybusiness for Indian-European corporate transactions.
In recent years, Graham has been Chair of the Accounts Commission of Scotland, a non-executive director of Audit Scotland, a Reporting Panel Member of the Competition and Markets Authority, Commissioner and Non-Executive Director of the Gambling Commission and Chair of the National Lottery Committee. He has alsoserved as a Trustee of a national charity for several years.
Professor Anne Trefethen FREng, FRSA
Professor Anne Trefethen is Pro-Vice-Chancellor and Professor of Scientific Computing at the University of Oxford. As Pro-Vice-Chancellor she has responsibility for People and GLAM (Gardens, Libraries and Museums). GLAM comprises the Bodleian Libraries, Ashmolean Museum, Museum of the History of Science, Natural History Museum, Pitt Rivers Museum, and Botanic Garden and Arboretum. Professor Trefethen serves on a number of boards in a non-executive capacity, including the UK Statistics Authority, where she is also the Chair of the Regulation Committee; JISC, the higher and further education technology and infrastructure provider; and is a member of the STFC Technology and Accelerator Advisory Board (TAAB).
Notes for Editors
- The election of the permanent Chair of the Board of Governors will be carried out in line with the process set down in statute in the 2016 Higher Education Scotland Act
- The Board of Governors of The Glasgow School of Art consists of a total membership of not less than 11 and not more than 25 members. It comprises lay members, staff representatives (appointed by the Academic Council and elected by the School) and ex officio officers including the Director of the GSA and the President of the GSASA (Student Union). Additionally, Trade Union representatives attend meetings of the Board.
- Independent Governors are normally appointed for a period of three years. They may then be appointed for further 3-year terms (with a maximum of three 3-year terms). Ex-officios hold office as a Governor for the duration of their tenure in the role.