Senior Vice-President and Registrar & Secretary

Mike joined the University of Exeter in January 2016 as Senior Vice-President and Registrar and Secretary with responsibility for the institution’s entire Professional Services team of 2500 colleagues and for the effective and efficient operations and governance of the University. As a member of the University’s senior management team and University Executive Board he plays a key role in the development and implementation of the major strategies and plans that enable the University to fulfil its mission and vision to be a world leading and globally significant institution.

As University Secretary Mike ensures the University conforms to regulatory and legal requirements through the effective application of the University committee and dual assurance system in support of robust and effective University governance.

Mike has a particular responsibility for overseeing the development and implementation of the University’s Capital Investment Strategies especially in relation to the Estate, Digital and IT infrastructure. Part of Mike’s role supporting the compliance framework of the University includes chairing the Compliance Committee and the University Health and Safety Committee. He also sponsors the University GDPR compliance project and attends and supports all meetings of the University Audit Committee. Mike is also Co-Chair (shared with the Provost) of Environment and Climate Emergency Board.

As part of his work sponsoring the evolution of the University’s community engagement strategy and its commitment to being a true exemplar of a 21st century Civic University, Mike also supports the delivery of the University Arts and Culture Strategy as joint chair of the Strategy Assurance process and is a newly appointed Trustee of the Northcott Theatre. 

External roles in Exeter including being the University member of the Ted Wragg Multi Academy Trust, a member of the Exeter Science Park board. Nationally, Mike is a member of the AHUA executive board, the AHUA lead for Home Office liaison in relation to immigration matters and a member of the UUK EPF.

Mike’s early career, after graduating with a degree in English Literature from the University of York in 1991, began in the food and drinks industry. In 2003 he fulfilled his ambition to work in Higher Education and moved from the private sector to become Director of Residential and Leisure Services for the University of Liverpool for four years before moving to the University of Manchester as the Director of Sport Trading and Residential Services. As a member of the University’s senior management team at Manchester Mike also supported the Registrar and Secretary through the delivery of a series of strategically significant projects and was supported through the UUK Aspiring Registrar’s programme. In 2011, Mike took up the post of Director of Change Management and Process Improvement at the University of Manchester with responsibilities including supporting the University through a portfolio of institutionally significant change projects.  He was then Chief Operating Officer for Queen Mary University of London for three years from January 2013 with responsibility for all Professional Services and was a member of the Senior Executive team.