Chief Operating Officer Simon Parkes to leave the University

Dear Colleagues

Chief Operating Officer Simon Parkes is taking the opportunity of our ongoing restructuring to leave the University at the end of the month.

Simon has played a pivotal role in helping build a strong Senior Leadership Team able to take on the challenges currently facing the Higher Education sector. In particular, he has developed a strong set of leaders across all Professional Services functions.

I would like to thank Simon for his immense support and contributions to the University over the past eight years. He has always recognised that the city needs the University to be the very best university possible.

He has contributed much, including helping us through the turmoil of the Covid pandemic (helping us be amongst the first universities to resume close to pre-pandemic normal operations). He also had SLT responsibility for building the Medical School, including the necessary interfaces with the University of Nottingham.

Simon’s departure means that we will now reallocate some areas of responsibility across the existing membership of SLT. Further information on these changes will be shared in due course.

Professor Neal Juster
Vice Chancellor